Background
He was born in Stavanger to Jens Zetlitz Kielland (1816–1881) and his wife Christine (1820–1862), née Lange.
He was born in Stavanger to Jens Zetlitz Kielland (1816–1881) and his wife Christine (1820–1862), née Lange.
Jacob Kielland enrolled in theology studies in 1859, and graduated as candidate.theol. in 1865. He worked as a teacher in his native Stavanger. In 1873 he was school inspector in addition to sexton.
In 1876 he was appointed vicar in Lunde and Hæskestad in Dalane, and in 1884 he moved to Haugesund to become vicar there.
In Haugesund he entered local politics. He was elected to the executive committee of Haugesund city council in 1885.
He became mayor in 1888 and deputy mayor in 1889. The same year he was appointed dean in Karmsund deanery.
He was still based in Haugesund, and tried to run for Parliament in 1894 without succeeding.
In 1897 he was appointed vicar in Stange. He retired in 1911, and died in 1915 in Lillehammer.
He was politically conservative.