Bagger was a jurist by education. At the time of his marriage, he worked as a headmaster at a school in
Drøbach. In 1837, the year local government was introduced in Norway, Bagger was elected as the first mayor of
Gjerpen municipality. He held this position until 1841. He was elected to the
Norwegian Parliament in 1839, representing the rural constituency of
Bratsberg Amt. However, he was not re-elected in 1842. The seat was taken by
Frederik Charlow Sophus Borchsenius.
Bratsberg Amtstidende and
Correspondenten would from now on become fierce rivals. Throughout this period, Bagger edited the
Correspondenten. He notably supported the radical politician
Peter Bøyesen, and supported
Hans and
Hans Eleonardus Møller during the feud in the
marine insurance business of
Porsgrund. In his later years Bagger became more politically conservative. Bagger retired in 1874.
Varden, which was founded in 1874, would later take over as the number one newspaper in Skien. He died in 1880. ==References==