Joseph Kirkland was born on January 18, 1770, in Newent Society, in that part of the Town of Norwich which was later separated as the Town of Lisbon, in New London County, Connecticut, to Joseph Kirkland and Hannah Perkins.

[1][citation needed] Kirkland graduated from Yale College in 1790.

[1] He was elected as a Federalist to the 17th United States Congress, holding office from December 3, 1821, to March 4, 1823.

Afterwards he resumed the practice of law, and was again a member of the State Assembly (Oneida Co.) in 1825; When Utica was incorporated as a city in 1832, Kirkland became the new city's first mayor and served from 1832 to 1836.

[1][2] Kirkland had 2 daughters with his girlfriend Sarah Backus:[citation needed] Kirkland died on January 26, 1844, in Utica, New York; and was buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery there.