Abraham Lincoln once defended Gridley during a slander trial and was a frequent collaborator or opponent in the courts.

[1] During the 1840 presidential election, Gridley campaigned on behalf of William Henry Harrison and ran for a seat on the Illinois House of Representatives.

Gridley successfully lobbied the assembly to have the Illinois Central Railroad build a train station within two miles of Bloomington.

Again, Gridley used his influence to include Bloomington on a rail line, this time for the Chicago and Alton Railroad.

Gridley founded the McLean County Bank in 1853 with Scammon and J. H. Burch, later purchasing the interests of the other investors.

In November 1856, Gridley commissioned Thomas Carlyle and George W. Kent to plat a town north of Bloomington.

They had twelve children: Juliet, Albert, Mary, Edward, Diana, Sharon, Asahel Jr., Emily, Grace, Oliver, Rachel, and David.