The Forgotten Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico

His Imperial Majesty Joshua Abraham Norton I was born between 1811 and 1818 in England. Records of his birth date vary considerably, but it’s likely that the latter date is the correct one. His family immigrated to South Africa when he was quite young, where his father headed a small Jewish community. As a young man, he initially attempted to run his own business in Cape Town but quickly went bankrupt and started working at his father’s ship chandlery instead.

By 1848, Emperor Norton had suffered some severe losses: his mother, father, and both of his brothers had died. With no other family, Norton inherited all $40,000 of his father’s estate and was eager to search for a new beginning. The lure of the American Dream, and the Gold Rush in particular, drew Norton to San Francisco. He was eager to find his fortunes, though he wasn’t interested in mining the gold fields; instead, he started a successful merchant business and rented out space on a ship he’d purchased for storage.

Just a few years after he arrived in San Francisco...

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