Emperor Norton | |
|---|---|
 Emperor Norton, c. 1871–72 | |
| Born | Joshua Abraham Norton February 4, 1818 Deptford, England |
| Died | January 8, 1880 (aged 61) |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif. (originally buried in the Masonic Cemetery, San Francisco, Calif.; reburied in Woodlawn in 1934) |
| Nationality | English |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Years active | 1859–1880 |
| Known for | Assuming the identity of "Norton I, Emperor of the United States"; newspaper proclamations; personal style (regalia, etc.) |
Joshua Abraham Norton (February 4, 1818 – January 8, 1880) was an English-born 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".[1] 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.
By late 1849, Norton had arrived in San Francisco. After a brief period of business and social success, Norton suffered a dramatic reverse when his attempt to corner the rice market in late 1852 was sidelined by a protracted contract dispute with the sellers. Norton lost the dispute in the California Supreme Court in 1854 and ultimately was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1856.
In September 1859, Joshua Norton proclaimed himself "Emperor of these United States." Norton had no formal political power but was treated deferentially in San Francisco, 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. He died January 8, 1880.
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". The San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.