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Jo Gjende (1794 – 27 February 1884) was aNorwegian outdoorsman andfreethinker. He is believed to have been the model forHenrik Ibsen'sPeer Gynt.
He was born inVågå, the son of Tjøstolv Olsson Kleppe of Sygaard (a well-knownrabble-rouser, also called "Galin-Tjøstolv", who died in 1797) and Marit Pedersdotter (died 1803) from Horgje inHeidal. He had four siblings. He lived during the period 1803–18 with his maternal aunt on Heringstad farm in Heidal and later took over the farm.
He was well known for reindeer hunting and sharpshooting in theJotunheimen mountains and built many cabins or huts at LakeGjende. He moved there in 1842. In 1850 he bought the mountain farm Brurusten in Murudal from Jakob Kleiven.
He took the nameJohn Gjendin, and shortened it toJo Gjende in his later days.
He was publicly skeptical about established Christianity. Occupied bynatural philosophy, he participated frequently in discussions with the local minister. As a result, he was recognized as a freethinker.
He died on the Brurusten farm in Murudal, and was buried atVågå Church. On his grave is a smallsoapstone monument, which shows a wild reindeer herd in flight, after a painting byGerhard Munthe.
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