Emperor Norton

Norton, "Emperor Norton I" Joshua Abraham Norton ( January 17 , 1811 – January 8 , 1880 ), also known as His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I , was a celebrated citizen of San Francisco who famously proclaimed himself " Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico " in 1859 . Although he had no political power , and his influence extended only so far as he was humored by those around him, he was treated deferentially in San Francisco, and currency issued in his name was honored in the establishments he frequented. Norton also corresponded with Queen Victoria , and he was addressed as His Imperial Majesty by local citizens and in the newspaper obituaries announcing his death. Though he was generally considered insane, or at least highly eccentric , the citizens of San Francisco (and the world at large) in the mid-to-late 19th century celebrated his presence, his humor, and his deeds—among the most notorious being his "order" that the U.S. Congress be dissolved by force, and his numerous decrees calling for a bridge to be built across San Francisco Bay . The King in Mark Twain 's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is reportedly modeled after him. He is considered a saint by the followers of Discordianism and is referenced repeatedly in the seminal work of the religion, the Principia Discordia .

Joshua Abraham Norton (c. 1817–1818 – January 8, 1880), known as Emperor Norton , was a citizen of San Francisco, California who in 1859 proclaimed himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States" and subsequently "Protector of Mexico ". Born in England, Norton spent most of his early life in South Africa . He immigrated to San Francisco in 1849 after receiving a bequest of $40,000 (inflation adjusted to $1.2 to $1.5 million in 2014 US Dollars) from his father's estate, arriving aboard the steam yacht Hurlothrumbo . Norton initially made a living as a businessman, but he lost his fortune investing in Peruvian rice . After losing a lawsuit in which he tried to void his rice contract, Norton left San Francisco. He returned a few years later, laying claim to the position of Emperor of the United States. Although he had no political power, and his influence extended only so far as he was humoured by those around him, he was treated deferentially in San Francisco, and currency issued in his name was honoured in the establishments he frequented. Though some considered him insane or eccentric, citizens of San Francisco celebrated his regal presence and his proclamations, such as his order that the United States Congress be dissolved by force and his numerous decrees calling for a bridge crossing and a tunnel to be built under San Francisco Bay . Similar structures were built long after his death in the form of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and the Transbay Tube , and there have been campaigns to rename the bridge " The Emperor Norton Bridge ". On January 8, 1880, Norton collapsed at a street corner and died before he could be given medical treatment. At his funeral two days later, nearly 30,000 people packed the streets of San Francisco to pay homage. Norton has been immortalized as the basis of characters in the literature of writers Mark Twain , Robert Louis Stevenson , Christopher Moore , Maurice De Bevere , Selma Lagerlöf , and Neil Gaiman . Sources differ on Norton's birthplace. Most sources agree that England was his birthplace, and some pinpoint the exact location to present-day London , while others state different locations. There are a number of different claims regarding Norton's date of birth. Norton's obituary by the San Francisco Chronicle put him at 65 years old at the time of his death, which would suggest that he was born in 1814. But William Drury notes in his 1986 biography, Norton I: Emperor of the United States , that the Chronicle's report − a reference to the inscription mounted to Norton's casket − was based on a guess by his landlady. Many sources follow Robert Ernest Cowan's 1923 account and Norton's 1934 tombstone in pinpointing Norton's birth as being sometime in 1819; Cowan specified 4 February 1819. But later biographers − Allen Stanley Lane, in his 1939 biography, Emperor Norton: The Mad Monarch of America , and Drury − settle on 1818. Drury cites South African immigration records in which Norton's father, John, said that Norton was two years old when the family arrived South Africa on May 2, 1820. These records would put Norton's birth somewhere between mid 1817 and early 1818. In December 2014, The Emperor's Bridge Campaign reported on the rediscovery of an item in the 4 February 1865 issue of The Daily Alta California points to a birth date of 4 February 1818. The Campaign also showed that, in his 1923 account, Cowan doctored the original text of the Alta item to back his claim of 4 February 1819. "Emperor Norton I: The benevolent dictator beloved and honored by San Franciscans to this day" . American History Illustrated . 10 : 14– 20. Eccentrics: A Study of Sanity and Strangeness .

Self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States Joshua Abraham Norton (February 4, 1818 – January 8, 1880), known as Emperor Norton , was a citizen of San Francisco , California, who proclaimed himself " Norton I, Emperor of the United States " in 1859. In 1863 he took the secondary title of " Protector of Mexico " after Napoleon III invaded that country . Norton was born in England but spent most of his early life in South Africa. He sailed west after the death of his mother in 1846 and his father in 1848, arriving in San Francisco possibly in November 1849. Norton initially made a living as a businessman, but he lost his fortune investing in Peruvian rice to sell in China due to a Chinese rice shortage. He bought rice at 12 cents per pound from Peruvian ships, but more Peruvian ships arrived in port which caused the price to drop sharply to 4 cents. He then lost a lawsuit in which he tried to void his rice contract, and his public prominence faded. He re-emerged in September 1859, laying claim to the position of Emperor of the United States. Though Norton received many favors from the city, merchants also capitalized on his notoriety by selling souvenirs bearing his name. "San Francisco lived off the Emperor Norton," Norton's biographer William Drury wrote, "not Norton off San Francisco." Norton had no formal political power; nevertheless, he was treated deferentially in San Francisco, and currency issued in his name was honored in the establishments that he frequented. Some considered him insane or eccentric , but citizens of San Francisco celebrated his imperial presence and his proclamations, such as his order that the United States Congress be dissolved by force and his numerous decrees calling for the construction of a bridge and tunnel crossing San Francisco Bay to connect San Francisco with Oakland . On January 8, 1880, Norton collapsed at the corner of California and Dupont (now Grant) streets and died before he could be given medical treatment. According to the San Francisco Chronicle , upwards of 10,000 people lined the streets of San Francisco to pay him homage at his funeral. Norton has been immortalized as the basis of characters in the literature of Mark Twain , Robert Louis Stevenson , Christopher Moore , Morris and René Goscinny , Selma Lagerlöf , and Neil Gaiman . Most sources agree that England was Norton's birthplace, and several pinpoint the exact location to the Kentish town of Deptford, which now is part of southeast London. There are a number of different claims regarding Norton's date of birth. Norton's obituary by the San Francisco Chronicle put him at 65 at the time of his death, which would suggest that he was born in 1814. But William Drury notes in his 1986 biography Norton I: Emperor of the United States that the Chronicle's report was a reference to the inscription mounted on Norton's casket and was based on a guess by his landlady. Many sources follow Robert Ernest Cowan's 1923 account and Norton's 1934 tombstone in pinpointing his birth to sometime in 1819; Cowan specified February 4, 1819. The Mad Monarch of America and Drury both settle on 1818. Drury cites South African immigration records in which Norton's father John said that Norton was two years old when the family arrived in South Africa on May 2, 1820. These records would put Norton's birth somewhere between mid-1817 and early 1818. In December 2014, The Emperor Norton Trust — then known as The Emperor's Bridge Campaign — reported on the rediscovery of an item in the February 4, 1865, issue of The Daily Alta California which points to a birth date of February 4, 1818. The Trust also showed that Cowan doctored the original text of the Alta item in his 1923 account to back his claim of February 4, 1819. "Emperor Norton I: The benevolent dictator beloved and honored by San Franciscans to this day" . American History Illustrated . 10 : 14– 20. Eccentrics: A Study of Sanity and Strangeness . Article features link to image of the San Francisco Chronicle's 11 January 1880 report on the funeral ("Le Roi Est Mort"), which uses the "10,000" estimate. This appears to be the only contemporaneous report offering a crowd figure.

Self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States (1818–1880) For the record label, see Emperor Norton Records . Joshua Abraham Norton ( c. 1818 – January 8, 1880), known Emperor Norton , was a resident of San Francisco, California, who in 1859 proclaimed himself "Norton I., Emperor of the United States". In 1863, after Napoleon III invaded Mexico , he took the secondary title of "Protector of Mexico". Norton was born in England but spent most of his early life in South Africa . Leaving Cape Town , probably in late 1845, he arrived in Boston , via Liverpool , in March 1846 and San Francisco in late 1849. However, he was financially ruined following a failed bid to corner the rice market during a shortage prompted by a famine in China . He bought a shipload of Peruvian rice at 12 cents per pound (26 ¢/kg), but more Peruvian ships arrived in port, causing the price to drop sharply to three cents per pound (6.6 ¢/kg). He then lost a protracted lawsuit in which he tried to void his rice contract, and his local prominence faded. However, Norton did not disappear from the scene completely, and he dramatically "reset" his relationship to the world around him in September 1859, when he proclaimed himself "Emperor of the United States". Norton had no formal political power, but was treated deferentially in San Francisco nevertheless, and currency issued in his name was honored in some of the establishments he frequented. Some considered Norton to be insane or eccentric, but residents of San Francisco and the city's larger Northern California orbit enjoyed his imperial presence and took note of his frequent newspaper proclamations. Though Norton received free ferry and train passage and a variety of favors, such as help with rent and free meals, from well-placed friends and sympathizers, the city's merchants also capitalized on his notoriety by selling souvenirs bearing his image. "San Francisco lived off the Emperor Norton," Norton's biographer William Drury wrote, "not Norton off San Francisco". On January 8, 1880, Norton collapsed and died before he could be given medical treatment. According to the San Francisco Chronicle , upwards of 10,000 people lined the streets of San Francisco to pay him homage at his funeral. Norton has been immortalized as the basis of characters in the literature of Mark Twain , Robert Louis Stevenson , Christopher Moore , Morris , René Goscinny , Selma Lagerlöf , Neil Gaiman , Mircea Cărtărescu and Charles Bukowski . Most sources agree that England was Norton's birthplace, and several pinpoint the exact location to the Kentish town of Deptford, which now is part of southeast London. There are a number of different claims regarding Norton's date of birth. Norton's obituary by the San Francisco Chronicle put him at 65 at the time of his death, which would suggest that he was born in 1814. But William Drury notes in his 1986 biography Norton I: Emperor of the United States that the Chronicle ' s report was a reference to the inscription mounted on Norton's casket and was based on a guess by his landlady. Many sources follow Robert Ernest Cowan's 1923 account and Norton's 1934 tombstone in pinpointing his birth to sometime in 1819; Cowan specified February 4, 1819. But Allen Stanley Lane in his 1939 biography, Emperor Norton: The Mad Monarch of America , and Drury, both settle on 1818. Drury cites South African immigration records in which Norton's father, John, said that Norton was two years old when the family arrived in South Africa on May 2, 1820. Those records would put Norton's birth somewhere between mid-1817 and early 1818. In December 2014, The Emperor Norton Trust – then known as The Emperor's Bridge Campaign – reported on the rediscovery of an item in the February 4, 1865, issue of The Daily Alta California which points to a birth date of February 4, 1818. The Trust also showed that Cowan doctored the original text of the Alta item in his 1923 account to back his claim of February 4, 1819. "Emperor Norton I: The benevolent dictator beloved and honored by San Franciscans to this day" . American History Illustrated . 10 : 14– 20. Article features link to image of the San Francisco Chronicle's January 11, 1880, report on the funeral ("Le Roi Est Mort"), which uses the "10,000" estimate. This appears to be the only contemporaneous report offering a crowd figure.

Self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States (1818–1880) For the record label, see Emperor Norton Records . Joshua Abraham Norton (February 4, 1818 – January 8, 1880) was a resident of San Francisco, California , who in 1859 declared himself "Emperor of these United States" in a proclamation that he signed " Norton I., Emperor of the United States ". Commonly known as Emperor Norton , he took the secondary title "Protector of Mexico" in 1866. Born in England and raised in South Africa , Norton left Cape Town in late 1845, sailing from Liverpool to Boston in early 1846 and eventually arriving in San Francisco in late 1849. After a brief period of prosperity, Norton made a business gambit in late 1852 that played out poorly, ultimately forcing him to declare bankruptcy in 1856. Norton proclaimed himself "Emperor of these United States" in September 1859, a role he played for the rest of his life. Norton had no formal political power but was treated deferentially in San Francisco and elsewhere in California, and currency issued in his name was honored in some of the establishments he frequented. Some considered Norton to be insane or eccentric, but residents of San Francisco and the city's larger Northern California orbit enjoyed his imperial presence and took note of his frequent newspaper proclamations. Norton received free ferry and train passage and a variety of favors, such as help with rent and free meals, from well-placed friends and sympathizers. Some of the city's merchants capitalized on his notoriety by selling souvenirs bearing his image. Norton was the basis for characters created by Mark Twain , Robert Louis Stevenson , Christopher Moore , Morris / René Goscinny , Selma Lagerlöf , Neil Gaiman , Mircea Cărtărescu and Charles Bukowski . Whiting, Sam (September 18, 2023) [September 18, 2023]. "Emperor Norton gets a street named after him in the Financial District, where he once reigned" .