Born in Carrollton, in the Buckeye State, June 21, 1841, he removed to Steubenville, in the same State, April, 1850. He acquired his early education wholly by his own efforts, working at Steubenville, in a glass factory, and in his 18th year emigrated, with his parents, to Jefferson County, Iowa, where he improved his education at the Fairfield University, after which he taught school, taking the opportunity, in his few leisure hours, to study law, being admitted to the bar in 1867. Mr. McElderry had the honor to be elected Mayor of Afton, in 1870, and was re-elected the two succeeding years. In the fall of 1875, he was elected to represent the 14th Representative District (comprising the counties of Ringgold and Union) in the 16th General Assembly of the State of Iowa; serving on the judiciary, constitutional amendments, military, representative and senatorial district committees. Mr. McElderry is one of the foremost lawyers in this county. He was united in married on November 24, 1867, in Polk County Iowa, to Miss Iowa E. Scott.