The True Story of Norton I, Emperor of these United States

Allow me to introduce His Majesty, Norton the First, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico. And one of the most interesting oddballs in the history of California. In September of 1859, Joshua Norton entered the offices of the San Francisco Bulletin, just steps away from where the TransAmerica Pyramid stands today, and solemnly handed the editor a piece of paper that read in part…

“At the peremptory request and desire of a large majority of the citizens… I, Joshua Norton… declare and proclaim myself Emperor of these United States.”

The editor of the newspaper, having both a sense of humor and some space to fill, printed the complete notice, and so began the reign of Emperor Norton.

Of course, he was delusional. Possibly insane. In a biographical sketch published by the California Historical Society in 1923, the writer Robert Cowan summed it up this way: “he gave palpable and distinct evidence of an overthrown mind.”

Still, something about the man, the city, and the times caused the citizens of San Francisco to happily play along. He eventually became the most famous person in the city. Citizens bowed when he passed. Policemen saluted. According to William Drury, author of the 1986 biography, Norton I, even the 1870 United States census listed the occupation of Joshua A. Norton as… “Emperor.”

I had heard the outlines of this story several times over the years, in newspaper columns or television travelogues, but I always wondered about the rest of the story. Who was Joshua Norton before he became Emperor? What tragedy could have led to his madness? And what became of the Emperor in the end?

Before he became Emperor, Joshua Norton was a businessman. In the 1876 book, Lights and Shades in San Francisco, the writer B. E. Lloyd noted that Joshua Norton was remembered as “a shrewd, safe and prosperous man.” He came to San Francisco in 1849 with a $40,000 inheritance, became a successful commodities broker, and invested in the booming local real estate market. By 1852, he was a respected and wealthy citizen of the growing city, with many successful business interests and a net worth of $250,000.

Then, his life took a tragic wrong turn, and he was changed forever…

According to Joan Parker, writing in the Dec. 1976 issue of American Heritage magazine, In 1853, Norton “overextended himself in one grand effort” to corner the San Francisco rice market during a severe shortage. But unexpected shiploads sailed into harbor, causing prices to plummet, and suddenly Norton was in debt for thousands of dollars.

A court battle ensued, lasting months and months and eating up thousands more dollars. Eventually Norton lost the case, his fortune and his mind.

He disappeared from the social records of the city for several years… until that fateful day in 1859, when he walked into the editor’s office at the San Francisco Bulletin.

From that day forward, Emperor Norton reigned for 21 years. He began to appear in public in a tattered military uniform. According to Parker in American Heritage, it was given to him by the commander of the Presidio, which was the local Army garrison at the time. Along the way, Norton picked up a rusty sword and scabbard, a custom made walking stick, and a beaver skin hat topped with peacock feathers, all gifts from loyal subjects.

He was known for making flowery and official-sounding proclamations on the great issues of the day. He abolished both houses of Congress and dissolved the U.S. government, condemning their greed and corruption. During a period of unrest in Mexico, he decided they needed his help down there, and added Protector of Mexico to his official title. At one point, he ordered the building of a bridge between Oakland and San Francisco, which as it turned out, was a pretty good idea… about 65 years later.

According to Drury, because the everyday citizens adopted him, so did the town’s newspapers and businessmen. The newspapers boosted readership by printing his proclamations. Local drinking and eating establishments served him for free to attract customers. Theater managers reserved a seat for The Emperor at every important premier. With the help of local printers, he even printed his own currency, which was cheerfully accepted at many local businesses.

At the height of his fame, according to Drury, he was the city’s leading tourist attraction and gift shops were filled with Emperor Norton souvenirs. There were Emperor Norton postcards and lithographs, Emperor Norton cigars, even Emperor Norton dolls.

His reign came to an end in January of 1880, when he died of “apoplexy” — what we know today as a stroke. A reported 30,000 San Franciscans attended the funeral. Even the New York Times published an obituary. And Joshua Norton was buried in a luxurious rosewood casket donated by the city’s wealthiest citizens.

On September 17 of 2009, marking the 150th anniversary of that fateful day in 1859, San Francisco Chronicle writer Carl Nolte called Emperor Norton “San Francisco’s most beloved character.” Joan Parker, in her piece for American Heritage, called him “perhaps the most successful eccentric in American history.” But, according to Drury, Mark Twain, who had known the Emperor personally, said this: “I have seen him in all his various moods… and there was always more room for pity than laughter.”

Now that you know a little more than the outline of Joshua Norton’s story: who he was before he became Emperor, what tragedy led to his madness, and how his reign finally came to an end — you may have your own opinions. But, no matter what, Joshua Norton rests in peace to this day beneath a huge granite headstone proclaiming himself for all the doubters of the world: Norton the First, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.

Work Cited

Cowan, Robert. “Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.” Quarterly of the California Historical Society. October 1923. San Francisco: California Historical Society.

Drury, William. Norton I: Emperor of the United States. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1986.

Lloyd, B.E. Lights and Shades in San Francisco. San Francisco: A.L. Bancroft & Company, 1876.

Nolte, Carl. “Emperor Norton, zaniest S.F. street character.” San Francisco Chronicle. 17 September 2009.

Parker, Joan. “Emperor Norton I.” American Heritage. December 1976. AmericanHeritage.com