Ephraim W. McKelvey was born on April 30, 1813, in Pennsylvania to James and Margaret Wallace. By 1850, he was working as a railroad conductor, and he owned $600 of real estate. He married Sarah Croft on January 21, 1857, and they had at least three children: Henry, born around 1858; Frank, born around 1864; and Edward, born around 1866. He died on August 9, 1865.