Not too many people know a whole lot about Timothy. We know that he traveled with Paul, and was a good friend and pupil to him, but other than that, not too much. Here's where we first get introduced to Timothy:
1 He (Paul) came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
Acts 16:2
So we now know two things of him: His father was a gentile (which isn't specifically about him), and that he had a good reputation. In the Jewish culture, being of the line in which your parents or at least one of them were Gentiles was an apparent no-no. We find out later that Paul then circumcised Timothy, and Timothy joined them (Paul and Silas) on their journey.
The next mention of Timothy isn't almost worthy mentioning, only that he, Paul, and Silas stopped at Berea on there journey and Timothy stayed there to let them go on without him. We skip to Acts chapter nineteen to find that Timothy is now one of Paul's 'helpers', and along with another one of his helpers, they travel (Timothy and Erastus) to Macedonia (modern day Asia). So Timothy was obedient to the call that Paul had placed on him. This is the first mention of him being submissive to his elders.
The next mention of Timothy isn't until Paul writes to Timothy in the two letters/books Timothy One and Two. Paul writes to Timothy, calling him his "To Timothy, my true son in the faith." Paul writes him and warns him of various things that could happen, and he encourages him to not let bad things deter the faith that he has in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's obvious that Paul was a person, and a role model that Timothy held in high regard. In addition to referring to Timothy as his son, Paul also writes to Timothy as if he were a father, having a conversation with his son, warning him of dangers, and admission of his own pitfalls. A comparison would be to compare Paul's writing to Timothy to Solomon writing to his sons in the Proverbs. Many of the Proverbs encourage listening and paying heed to instruction, and here's what Paul says to Timothy:
18Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience.
1 Timothy 1:18
Here's an important snippet that Paul wrote to Timothy about respect of elders:
1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
1 Timothy 5:1-2
This is partially the basis for Paul's and Timothy's relationship toward each other and you can see that they both held a great respect toward each other, even from Paul to Timothy, being that Paul was much older.
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:3-7
Paul knew that Timothy was a faithful and respectable person and would heed his words.
10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance
2 Timothy 3:10
14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14-15
From all this we know that Timothy held to the principles of elderly submission.
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