San Francisco County
Biographies
GEORGE J.
ASMUSSEN
George J. Asmussen, secretary and treasurer of the United Undertakers and a prominent business man of San Francisco, was born in this city February 22, 1872. His father, William Asmussen, was a native of Denmark and when a lad of eleven years came to California. As a young man he entered mercantile circles of San Francisco, opening a grocery store, and afterward was the proprietor of a hotel at Eighth and Bryant streets, where he successfully engaged in business for many years. On the democratic ticket he was elected to represent his district in the general assembly of California and afterward was a member of the state senate, making a creditable record in public office.
In St. Joseph’s parochial school George J. Asmussen obtained his early education and after attending St. Ignatius College he took a commercial course in Heald’s Business College, thus qualifying for a situation in the wholesale dry goods house of the Murphy-Grant Company. Afterward he took a civil service examination and at San Francisco entered the postal service, in which he continued for thirty-six years, steadily advancing in that department of governmental work. He reorganized the sale of unclaimed parcel post matter, was superintendent of the custom-house branch post office and filled a similar position at the Russ House. He was made examiner of local stations and later was secretary to the postmaster of San Francisco. In 1927 Mr. Asmussen retired from the postal service to become secretary and treasurer of the United Undertakers and has since occupied those offices, taking an important part in the conduct of a business which has a record of fifty-two years of continuous service in San Francisco. This is one of the oldest institutions of the kind in the state and has ever maintained a high standard of service.
Mr. Asmussen married Miss Ida Bent, a native of Concord, Contra Costa county, California, and they have three daughters: Mrs. Ethel Forrest, who is the mother of two children; Hazel Ann Asmussen; and Mrs. Myrtle Carr, who has one daughter.
From his youth Mr. Asmussen has been interested in boxing matches and other athletic sports. He votes with the republican party and lends the weight of his support to public projects of worth but has never sought political office. He is active in the affairs of the Central Mission Improvement Association and the South of Market Street Boys Association. He also belongs to the Guardian Club, the Ancient Order of Druids, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and Utopia Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 448-449.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
FRANCISCO BIOGRAPIES