Emperor Norton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emperor Norton I
Protector of Mexico
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Emperor Norton, c. 1871–72
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| Born |
Joshua Abraham Norton
February 4, 1818 |
| Died | January 8, 1880 (aged 61) |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Colma, California |
| Nationality | English (formerly, birth) American (naturalised) |
| Other names | Norton I (self-declared) |
| Known for | Claiming to be Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico |
| Title | Claimed to be Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico |
| Term | 1859–1880 (21 years) |
| Predecessor | Title established |
| Successor | Title abolished |
| Parent(s) | John Norton Sarah Norden |
| Family | House of Norton (unofficial) |
Joshua Abraham Norton (February 4, 1818 – January 8, 1880), known as Emperor Norton, was a famous resident of San Francisco, California. In 1859, he declared himself "Norton I., Emperor of the United States." Later, in 1863, he also took the title "Protector of Mexico."
Norton was born in England but spent much of his early life in South Africa. He moved to San Francisco in late 1849. For a few years, he was a successful businessman. However, he lost all his money after a failed attempt to control the rice market.
After losing his fortune, Norton changed his life dramatically. In September 1859, he announced himself as Emperor. Even though he had no real political power, people in San Francisco treated him with respect. Some businesses even accepted money he printed with his name on it.
Many people in San Francisco enjoyed his unique presence. They paid attention to the many announcements he published in newspapers. Norton received free ferry and train rides. He also got help with rent and free meals from friends. City merchants also made money from his fame by selling souvenirs with his picture.
On January 8, 1880, Norton died on a street corner in San Francisco. About 10,000 people lined the streets to honor him at his funeral. Norton has been remembered in books by famous writers like Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Contents
Early Life and Business Troubles
Joshua Norton's parents were John Norton and Sarah Nordon. They were English Jews. His family moved to South Africa in 1820. They were part of a government plan to settle the area. Norton was most likely born in Deptford, England.
The best information suggests Norton was born on February 4, 1818. This date matches ship records from when his family moved to South Africa. Some older stories claimed different birth years, but these have been shown to be incorrect.
After arriving in San Francisco, Norton became very successful. He made a lot of money buying and selling goods. He also invested in real estate. By late 1852, he was one of the richest and most respected people in the city.
In December 1852, Norton saw a chance to make even more money. China had a severe famine, which stopped rice exports. This caused the price of rice in San Francisco to go up a lot. Norton bought a large shipment of rice from Peru, hoping to control the market.
However, soon after he bought the rice, more ships arrived from Peru. This caused the price of rice to drop very quickly. Norton tried to cancel his contract, saying he was tricked about the rice quality. He fought a long legal battle but lost in 1854.
After losing the lawsuit, Norton lost his properties to pay his debts. He officially declared himself unable to pay his debts in August 1856. By this time, he was living in much simpler conditions.
Becoming Emperor
Declaring His Rule
By 1859, Norton was very unhappy with the government of the United States. In July 1859, he wrote a short statement to the "Citizens of the Union." In this statement, he described the problems he saw in the country. He also suggested that action was needed to fix these issues.
A local newspaper, the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin, printed his letter. They did it for fun, and this was the start of Norton's 21-year "reign" as Emperor.
Norton issued many official orders about how the country should be run. For example, on October 12, 1859, he formally ordered the United States Congress to be shut down. He also ordered everyone to meet in San Francisco to "fix the evil" he saw.
In January 1860, Norton ordered the Army to remove elected officials from their positions. However, the Army ignored his orders. Congress also continued to meet without paying any attention to his decrees.
In July 1860, he ordered the United States to become a temporary monarchy instead of a republic. In 1862, he even ordered the Catholic and Protestant churches to make him "Emperor." He hoped this would help end the American Civil War.
Norton's Visionary Ideas
Norton then focused on other important issues. On August 12, 1869, he announced that the Democratic and Republican parties were abolished. He said he wanted to end the arguments between political groups.
Norton was sometimes very forward-thinking. Some of his imperial orders showed great vision for the future. For example, he called for a suspension bridge to be built between San Francisco and Oakland. He also suggested a tunnel under San Francisco Bay.
Long after his death, these ideas became real. The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and the Transbay Tube were built. There have even been efforts to name the Bay Bridge after Emperor Norton.
Daily Life as Emperor
Norton spent most of his days walking around San Francisco. He would inspect the streets, visit parks and libraries, and stop by newspaper offices. In the evenings, he often went to political meetings or shows.
He wore a fancy blue uniform with gold decorations. He also had a tall hat with feathers, a walking stick, and an umbrella. As he walked, he would check on the sidewalks and cable cars. He also looked at how public property and police officers appeared. He often talked to people about the day's events.
A cartoonist named Edward Jump spread a rumor that two stray dogs, Bummer and Lazarus, were Norton's pets. Norton did share his meals with the dogs at free lunch counters. However, he did not actually own them.
In 1867, a police officer arrested Norton. The officer wanted to send him for mental health treatment. But the citizens were very angry about this arrest. Newspapers wrote strong articles against it. The police chief ordered Norton to be released and apologized. After that, San Francisco police officers would salute him when he passed by.
The 1870 U.S. census listed Joshua Norton as "Emperor." This shows that people recognized his unique role.
During the 1860s and 1870s, there were sometimes protests against Chinese immigrants in San Francisco. These protests sometimes led to riots. At one rally in 1878, Emperor Norton appeared. He stood on a box and told the crowd to go home. He was not successful, but the event was reported in the newspapers.
Norton also printed his own money, called scrip. Some restaurants in San Francisco accepted these notes from him. These notes were worth between fifty cents and ten dollars. Today, the few notes that still exist are very valuable collector's items.
Foreign Relations
Throughout his time as Emperor, Norton commented on other countries' actions. He sent announcements and letters to foreign leaders. He tried to build good relationships with them. If he felt it was needed, he would try to encourage them to act better.
In 1862, French Emperor Napoléon III invaded Mexico. He put Maximilian I in charge as a puppet ruler. When this news reached San Francisco, someone suggested Norton take the title "Protector of Mexico." Norton liked the idea and added the title to his announcements. However, he later gave up this title, saying, "It is impossible to protect such an unsettled nation."
Norton wrote many letters to Queen Victoria of England. He suggested they could marry to make their nations stronger. The Queen never replied to his letters.
Norton also sent letters to Kamehameha V, the King of Hawaii. These letters were about land in Hawaii. Near the end of his rule, King Kamehameha refused to recognize the U.S. government. Instead, he chose to only recognize Norton as the true leader of the United States.
Later Years and Passing
Many stories were told about Norton. One popular tale said he was the son of Emperor Napoleon III. This story claimed his South African background was a trick to avoid being caught. Other rumors said Norton was secretly very rich but pretended to be poor.
After Norton became Emperor, local newspapers sometimes printed fake announcements from him. It is believed that newspaper editors wrote these for their own reasons. In January 1871, Norton chose the Pacific Appeal, a newspaper owned by Black people, as his "imperial organ." Between 1870 and 1875, this paper published about 250 announcements from Norton. Historians believe these announcements were real.
On the evening of January 8, 1880, Norton collapsed on a street corner. He was on his way to a lecture. A police officer quickly called for a carriage to take him to the hospital. However, Norton died before the carriage arrived. The newspaper reported that "Norton I, by the grace of God, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico, departed this life."
It quickly became clear that Norton had died very poor. He had only a few dollars on him. A search of his room found only one gold coin. His belongings included his walking sticks, a sword, and several hats. He also had some of the "Imperial bonds" he sold to tourists. There were also fake telegrams from the Tsar of Russia and the President of France. These telegrams congratulated him on his marriage to Queen Victoria.
At first, Norton was going to be buried in a simple wooden coffin. But San Francisco businessmen raised money for a nice rosewood casket. They also arranged a respectful funeral. Norton's funeral on January 10 was very large and sad. People from all parts of society came to pay their respects. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that about 10,000 people came to see his body.
In 1934, Norton's remains were moved to a new grave. He is now buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Colma, California.
Images for kids
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One of Norton's undated proclamations
