Engebret Olsen Soot was born in Aurskog (now Aurskog-Høland) in Akershus, Norway. He started his career as a blacksmith and carpenter. In 1804, he built a mill on the Sotbekken, a small river at Lierfoss in Aurskog-Høland. From 1816 until 1825, he was a caretaker at the Mangenskogen forest in Aurskog-Høland. From 1827 to 1846 he was an inspector on the Halden watercourse () in Østfold and Akershus.
