Asahel Gridley
| Asahel Gridley | |
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| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 11th district |
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In office 1850 – 1854 |
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| Preceded by | Edward O. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Jacob C. Davis |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
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In office 1840 – 1842 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 21, 1810 Cazenovia, New York |
| Died | January 25, 1881 (aged 70) Bloomington, Illinois |
| Political party | Whig |
| Profession | Banker, lawyer, and merchant |
Asahel Gridley (April 21, 1810 – January 25, 1881) was an American politician, lawyer, merchant, and banker. Born in New York, Gridley moved to Bloomington, Illinois when he was twenty-one. He served as a brigadier general in the Black Hawk War and was elected to three terms in the Illinois General Assembly. There, he lobbied to have the Illinois Central and Chicago and Alton Railroads pass near Bloomington. Abraham Lincoln once defended Gridley during a slander trial and was a frequent collaborator or opponent in the courts. Gridley is also the namesake of Gridley, Illinois and platted two other McLean County towns.
Asahel Gridley was born on April 21, 1810 in Cazenovia, New York. Educated at Pompey Academy, Gridley moved west in 1831 and settled in Bloomington, Illinois on October 8. He engaged in the mercantile trade with his brother-in-law Ortogrul Covel. Gridley donated $338 to establish the first courthouse in McLean County. With the outbreak of the Black Hawk War, Gridley enlisted in the cavalry, assisting General Merritt L. Covel with raising a cavalry company. Gridley was named Covel's first lieutenant and was soon brevetted to brigadier general.
During the 1840 presidential election, Gridley campaigned on behalf of William Henry Harrison and ran for a seat on the Illinois House of Representatives. He was elected and served in the 12th General Assembly (1840–1842). Gridley successfully lobbied the assembly to have the Illinois Central Railroad build a train station within two miles of Bloomington. Gridley owned much of the land around the station and became very wealthy by selling it to the company. In the meantime, he practiced law with John M. Scott in the Miller–Davis Law Buildings. He frequently appeared opposed to or in association with Abraham Lincoln.
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