Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton
Emperor Norton, c. 1871–72
Born	Joshua Abraham Norton (1818-02-04)February 4, 1818 Deptford, England
Died	January 8, 1880(1880-01-08) (aged 61) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Resting place	Woodlawn Memorial Park, Colma, California
Nationality	English
Citizenship	United States
Years active	1859–1880
Known for	Assuming the identity of "Norton I, Emperor of the United States"; newspaper proclamations; forward thinking; personal style

Joshua Abraham Norton (1818 – 1880) was an immigrated resident of San Francisco, California, who in 1859 proclaimed himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States." Commonly known as Emperor Norton, he took the secondary title "Protector of Mexico" in 1863, after Napoleon III invaded Mexico.

Born in England and raised in South Africa, Norton immigrated to San Francisco in 1849, where he made a successful living as a commodities trader and real estate speculator. 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.

In September 1859, 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.

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.