*Ø* Blogmanac September 16, 1854 | Accession of Emperor Norton I of the USA
On this day, Emperor Norton I (January 17, 1811-January 8, 1880), Emperor of the United States of America and Protector of Mexico, ascended the throne.
Joshua Norton, born in London on February 4, 1819, grew up in a pioneer British family in South Africa, and inherited the fortune of his merchant father. At the age of 30, Joshua went to San Francisco from Brazil, where he had accumulated a considerable treasure of his own. California had become the scene of perhaps the world's greatest-ever goldrush, and Joshua Norton wanted to be a part of the excitement and prosperity.
By 1853 he had amassed a vast fortune of more than $250,000 by trading in real estate and high-demand goods such as coffee, tea and flour. His success brought him some fame in California, and he earned the nickname ‘Emperor’.
Soon, however, he lost his fortune and was even in $50,000 debt when he lost a gamble of cornering the market in rice. He worked at menial jobs and disappeared from view, only to re-emerge on September 16, 1854 when he walked into the office of the San Francisco Call, dressed like a Gilbert and Sullivan-style monarch. He asked the editor to publish what he called a "decree".
The decree, proclaiming himself "Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico", was published without editorial comment or charge. Over subsequent years until Joshua Norton's death on January 8, 1880, he was a famous character in San Francisco and his decrees were regularly published in the Call.
Emperor Norton I was accepted with generous good humour by the citizens of his adopted empire, at least those in California who would allow him to eat, travel and live without payment. He was even accorded honours by the legislature in Sacramento, and the Central Pacific railroad company gave him free travel and dining service for life. He was written about by such luminaries as Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson, attended society functions and gave lectures to schools and colleges.
When he died, the Chronicle newspaper featured the headline: "Le Roi est Mort". Norton I lay in state for a few days, his body dressed in a new imperial uniform provided by the city fathers of San Francisco, and respectfully visited by more than 30,000 of his loyal subjects; the cortege was two miles long. The day after his funeral, January 11, 1880, blackened the San Franciscan skies with a total solar eclipse.
The people of San Francisco erected a monument over his grave, with the epitaph:
NORTON I, EMPEROR OF THE UNITED STATES, PROTECTOR OF MEXICO, JOSHUA A. NORTON, 1819-1880
In the religion of Discordianism, Emperor Norton is considered a Saint, Second Class, the highest spiritual honor attainable by an actual (non-fictional) human being.
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Tomorrow: San Francisco had Norton, Sydney had Bee
On this day, Emperor Norton I (January 17, 1811-January 8, 1880), Emperor of the United States of America and Protector of Mexico, ascended the throne.
Joshua Norton, born in London on February 4, 1819, grew up in a pioneer British family in South Africa, and inherited the fortune of his merchant father. At the age of 30, Joshua went to San Francisco from Brazil, where he had accumulated a considerable treasure of his own. California had become the scene of perhaps the world's greatest-ever goldrush, and Joshua Norton wanted to be a part of the excitement and prosperity.
By 1853 he had amassed a vast fortune of more than $250,000 by trading in real estate and high-demand goods such as coffee, tea and flour. His success brought him some fame in California, and he earned the nickname ‘Emperor’.
Soon, however, he lost his fortune and was even in $50,000 debt when he lost a gamble of cornering the market in rice. He worked at menial jobs and disappeared from view, only to re-emerge on September 16, 1854 when he walked into the office of the San Francisco Call, dressed like a Gilbert and Sullivan-style monarch. He asked the editor to publish what he called a "decree".
The decree, proclaiming himself "Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico", was published without editorial comment or charge. Over subsequent years until Joshua Norton's death on January 8, 1880, he was a famous character in San Francisco and his decrees were regularly published in the Call.
Emperor Norton I was accepted with generous good humour by the citizens of his adopted empire, at least those in California who would allow him to eat, travel and live without payment. He was even accorded honours by the legislature in Sacramento, and the Central Pacific railroad company gave him free travel and dining service for life. He was written about by such luminaries as Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson, attended society functions and gave lectures to schools and colleges.
When he died, the Chronicle newspaper featured the headline: "Le Roi est Mort". Norton I lay in state for a few days, his body dressed in a new imperial uniform provided by the city fathers of San Francisco, and respectfully visited by more than 30,000 of his loyal subjects; the cortege was two miles long. The day after his funeral, January 11, 1880, blackened the San Franciscan skies with a total solar eclipse.
The people of San Francisco erected a monument over his grave, with the epitaph:
NORTON I, EMPEROR OF THE UNITED STATES, PROTECTOR OF MEXICO, JOSHUA A. NORTON, 1819-1880
In the religion of Discordianism, Emperor Norton is considered a Saint, Second Class, the highest spiritual honor attainable by an actual (non-fictional) human being.
More
Pip Wilson's articles are available for your publication, on application. Further details
Receive similar items free each day with a free subscription to Wilson's Almanac ezine. Send a blank email
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