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. Then he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1794.^[1]

Kirkland commenced practice in New Hartford, New York. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Oneida Co.) in 1804 and 1804–05.^[1]

He moved to Utica in 1813, and was District Attorney for the Sixth District (comprising Otsego, Herkimer and Oneida counties) from 1813 to 1816. He was again a member of the State Assembly in 1818 (Oneida Co.) and in 1820-21 (Oneida and Oswego Co.).^[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]}

• Sarah Backus Kirkland (1810 - July 15, 1872), who married John Gelston Floyd.
• Louisa Kirkland (January 18, 1813 – June 1885), who married Charles Tracy, an author and attorney.

Kirkland died on January 26, 1844, in Utica, New York; and was buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery there.^[1]

• United States Congress. "Joseph Kirkland (id: K000235)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 71, 177f, 193, 197, 202, 286 and 368; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)