Born and raised in Glenfinnan as a fellow kinsman of Connor MacLeod, Jacob Kell was Connor's childhood friend. He was adopted by the priest, Father Rainey, and grew up to follow in his father's footsteps. After Connor was forced to leave the clan, he heard that his mother was facing death threats to being the mother of a demon and being cast as a witch herself.

Connor rode into his old village to save his mother where he ultimately failed. Killing Jacob Kell in a fracas after Connor attempts to free his mother would set Kell up for a life or full of revenge. He lived for two reasons, to take heads and to inflict pain and suffering on Connor MacLeod.