Assersen was born January 5, 1839, the youngest of twelve children, on the Midbrød farm in Egersund parish, today located in the municipality of Eigersund, in Rogaland county, Norway.[1] His parents were Asser Johannessen and Malene Rasmusdatter. He left Norway at age 17 as a cabin boy on a bark sailing from the port of Stavanger. He came to the United States in 1859 at age 20.[2][3][4]
During the Civil War, he enlisted in the United States Navy as a master's mate on May 27, 1862, at age 23. He took part in several battles as commander of gunboats. He was made an acting ensign on November 24, 1862, and was appointed an engineer in the United States Naval Marine Corps.[5]
Assersen was honorably discharged on February 28, 1869, and returned to naval service as a civil engineer on 6 March 1874. Assersen became a lieutenant, captain and in 1889, rear admiral in the United States Navy. Assersen was the chief engineer of Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Norfolk Navy Yard, specializing in building drydocks.[6]
He retired from military service on January 5, 1901, with the rank of rear admiral, and continued on active duty. He died of angina pectoris December 6, 1906[7] in Brooklyn,[8] and he was buried at the United States Naval AcademyinAnnapolis.[9]
In August 1864 Assersen married Mary Ann Wilson from Brooklyn. She was born May 11, 1867, and died May 10, 1910. They had 7 children, 3 boys and 4 girls. His sons all served in the United States military:
United States
United States Navy
