Background
He was born in Stavanger to Gabriel Schanche Kielland (1760–1821) and his wife Johanna Margaretha (1756–1818), née Bulletin. Jacob Kielland married Axeliane Christine Zetlitz (1792–1855), daughter of the priest and poet Jens Zetlitz.
He was born in Stavanger to Gabriel Schanche Kielland (1760–1821) and his wife Johanna Margaretha (1756–1818), née Bulletin. Jacob Kielland married Axeliane Christine Zetlitz (1792–1855), daughter of the priest and poet Jens Zetlitz.
Of these children, four died young. Those who survived included:
Alexander Lange Kielland, the well-known De Fire Store writer
Kitty Lange Kielland, painter
Axel Christian Zetlitz Kielland, diplomat
Jonas Schanche Kielland, politician. Valentin Axel Kielland, sculptor
Ingvald M. Smith-Kielland.
Andreas Sømme, businessman and, in turn, father of:
Axel Christian Zetlitz Sømme, geographer
Jacob Kielland Sømme, painter
Jacob Kielland took education from 1802 to 1806, and after that started working in his father"s company "Jacob Kielland & Søn".
As his father died in 1821, Jacob and Jonas Schanche Kielland took over the company. Jacob Kielland acquired burghership in June 1821.
The trade company mainly exported timber, lobsters and atlantic herring. Like many traders they were also involved in shipbuilding, running two shipyards.
Jacob Kielland was also vice consul for the Netherlands in 1815, Hamburg and Prussia in 1821 and the United States in 1830.
The latter relation was broken in 1863, shortly before his death. Jacob Kielland was, upon his death in 1863, one of the richest people in Norway.
Jacob Kielland was a member of the prominent family of Kielland. Kielland was also involved in local politics, as a member of Stavanger city council.