From there he went to Alabama, where he was naturalized in 1848 as a U.S. citizen and, in partnership with two brothers, he started in business, opening three stores along the Tombigbee River. In 1849, after gold was discovered in California, he and a brother went west, to Sacramento, where they founded a business, which was burned out twice in the fires which swept the city. In 1851 two of his brothers moved to San Francisco, leaving Asher in charge of the Sacramento store.