Illinois:  History of Cass County, Illinois, ed. William Henry
Perrin. O. L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers, Chicago, 1882. 
Cass County.

J. N. GRIDLEY, attorney, of Virginia City, one of the most
successful in the profession in Cass County, is a native of
Manchester, N.H.  His father, John J. Gridley, was for many years
a Methodist preacher, and preached throughout the States of New
York, Michigan, and Northern Illinois.  He is of English descent,
and married Miss Elizabeth Mitchell, native of Portsmouth, N.H.,
and is of English and Scotch ancestry.  He now resides at
Greenville, Mercer County, Penn.; Mrs. G. died in August, 1865. 
James N., our subject, is the oldest of the family, and was born
June 15, 1842.  He has two sisters younger, Miss Kate, and Miss
Elizabeth, who is now Mrs. William Bennett, at Beardstown.  The
youngest of the family was Albert, a farmer and teacher of Cass
County.  He went to Minnesota to recover his lost health, and
there died Aug. 18, 1874.  Our subject, in the year 1861, entered
the Michigan State Agricultural College at Lansing, as a
Freshman.  He remained there about seven months, and then went to
Ypsilanti, same State, where he spent two years in a Seminary,
under Prof.  Estabrook.  In 1863, Mr. Gridley came to Oregon
Precinct, Cass Co., and began farming.  He taught during the
winter season in the public schools of Virginia, and devoted a
portion of his time to the study of law, and in August, 1868, was
admitted to the bar of the State.  Since then his time has been
given mostly to the practice of his profession.  He commenced the
practice of law alone, and in 1871, he formed a partnership with
I. J. Ketcham, of Jacksonville, which arrangement still exists. 
Since its organization, the firm has done a profitable business,
their practice being principally in criminal, chancery and real
estate.  Further mention of the firm and of Mr. Gridley's
abstract business, will be found elsewhere in this volume.  Mr.
Gridley married Oct. 11, 1871, Miss Frances A. Hill, daughter of
Ebenezer Hill (deceased), and Mary Burden Hill (also deceased). 
Mr. Hill was a native of Connecticut.  Mr. and Mrs. Gridley have
four children:  Charles, Nellie, Burton, and Harry.  In politics,
Mr. Gridley is a Democrat; he is a member of the Knights of
Honor, Virginia Lodge.

Gridley Mitchell Bennett Estabrook Ketcham Hill Burden
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NH NY MI Greenville-Mercer-PA MN CT