[1] Helland was born in the parish of Bjerkreim in Rogaland, Norway.
In 1804, Hans Nielsen Hauge visited Bjerkreim.
He became a devote Haugean (haugianere) and worked with Hauge for three year.
He developed his own fleet and traded in grain carried in his ships to Trøndelag returning with fish from Northern Norway.
Two years after the first wife's death, he married her younger sister Malene Vig (1790–1859) with whom he had six children.