Born August 5, 1845, in Hendricks County, Indiana. At the age of eleven years his parents, Elisha and Nancy Hornaday, moved to Appanoose county, Iowa, where he attained to man's estate and received an education in the select schools of that county. In 1864 he enlisted in company B, Forty-seventh Iowa infantry volunteers, and served until the end of the civil war. He then returned to Appanoose county and commenced the study of medicine in 1867 with Dr. S. H. Sawyer, a prominent physician of Unionville, that county. He then attended the medical lectures at Cincinnati during the sessions of 1869-70. Then practiced three years as a partner of his preceptor, Dr. Sawyer. He came to this county in August, 1873, and in 1879 was chosen by the people of Taylor county to represent them in the Eighteenth General Assembly. He was married at Unionville, Iowa, August 27, 1868, to Miss Nancy J. Miller, a native of Tennessee. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and of Bethany Commandery No. 29, Creston, Iowa.