Amazing Lives Series #5 Emperor Norton

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In the year 1818 an emperor was born. Not so strange you may think. But this self-proclaimed emperor was a penniless oddball who became a local celebrity in San Francisco.

Joshua Abraham Norton was born in England, but spent most of his early life in South Africa. After his mother and father passed away, he emigrated to San Francisco in 1849 with a $40,000 inheritance from his father's estate. Norton initially made a living as a successful businessman, amassing a fortune of $250,000.

Norton thought he saw a business opportunity when China was facing a severe famine and placed a ban on the export of rice, causing the price of rice in San Francisco to skyrocket. He bought the entire shipment of rice from a ship returning from Peru for $25,000 hoping to corner the market. However, soon after signing the contract, several more boatloads of rice arrived from Peru, causing the price of rice to plummet.

He lost a lawsuit in which he tried to void his rice contract and filed for bankruptcy in 1858. At that point he became less and less seen in public. After becoming disgruntled with the legal and political structures of the United States, in September 1859 he re-emerged, sending various newspapers letters declaring himself Norton I, “Emperor of the United States”.

One newspaper printed his letter and so began a quirky and unprecedented 21-year "reign" over America.

In his self-appointed role of emperor, Norton issued numerous decrees. In October 1859 he declared the formal abolishment of the United States Congress. The following month he issued a decree to summon the army to dispose of the officials of Congress. The Army and Congress ignored his orders and Emperor Norton moved onto other matters.

In August 1869, he abolished the Democratic and Republican parties. He then also saw fit to decree the construction of a suspension bridge or tunnel connecting Oakland and San Francisco. This one actually came to fruition with construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge taking place between 1933 and 1936.

Emperor Norton’s day to day work consisted of inspecting the streets of San Francisco, checking the state of repair of public property in his blue and gold uniform, complete with a rosette and a peacock feather in his hat.

Although he had no political power or influence, he humoured those around him and was treated respectfully to the point where currency issued in his name was honoured in the establishments he frequented. Norton issued his own money to pay for his debts and these notes came in denominations between fifty cents and ten dollars.

The Emperor was loved and revered by the citizens of San Francisco. Although penniless, he regularly ate at the finest restaurants. Norton's self-penned seals of approval were prized by restaurateurs and offered a significant boost to trade. Plays and musical performances in San Francisco would open, reserving balcony seats for Emperor Norton.

In 1867, a policeman arrested Norton to receive treatment for a mental disorder. The arrest outraged citizens and the Police Chief ordered Norton released and issued a formal apology. Norton granted an Imperial Pardon to the arresting policeman and from that point on, all San Francisco police officers saluted Emperor Norton as he passed in the street.

On 8th January 1880, Norton collapsed on the street and died before he could be given medical treatment. At his funeral two days later, some accounts say that 10,000 people packed the streets of San Francisco to pay homage.

Norton has been immortalised as the basis of characters in the literature of writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Mark Twain. Twain lived in the city during Norton’s reign.

Since his death there have also been campaigns to rename the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge "The Emperor Norton Bridge" to honour his life and legacy.