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5. The Savior of San Francisco
Louis Norton, deceased older brother of Emperor Norton
Then the persona of Norton, Emperor of the United States, evolved when a few new characters entered the scene at San Francisco. Being the Mayor of San Francisco, Norton was planning on a new Norton relocation [1]. Norton was actually a second-son, with his older brother, Louis Norton, dying the same year his mother left her mortal coil. Joshua never really had the wealth to relocate his literally distant family to meet with him in San Francisco, but now that same man was mayor of a major city. So during the year 1865, Emperor Norton had much of his family move to San Francisco, being mostly nephews and some of his brothers. Soon, the "Norton Family" boosted the popularity of Emperor Norton and showed all of his family members how successful he had become. Emperor Norton eventually had his family move into a small estate that he had purchased.
Norton sat comfy at his mayoral seat and was surprised to see John Chivington at San Francisco. After being the perpetrator of the Sand Creek Massacre, which killed multiple Cheyenne and Arapaho. He would flee to San Francisco after being hated by many, hoping that Norton would welcome him. Surprisingly, Emperor Norton did, although with some dismay by locals. Chivington stated that his stress got the better of him, and due to that, people were dead. It seemed that Chivington was looking for redemption. It was said by locals that Chivington would be heard by all, giving prayers and asking for forgiveness in the middle of the night. However, it was likely a fake tale made by Norton-supporters to try to redeem Chivington. Social pressure probably forced him into obscurity, and here he found himself in San Francisco.
John Chivington, founder of God’s Church
As the months passed, Chivington integrated with the city and maintained his relationship with Emperor Norton. He would even open up his own church with Norton's help, God's Church, in San Francisco. Teaching largely Methodist beliefs, the church soon gained traction from Emperor Norton's support, often found amongst the listeners of Chivington's audience. Although he was no longer an official pastor, this didn’t stop him from performing sermons to his listeners. Norton once said that “If any man seeks to defile the reputation of a man of God, be it that the Holy Land shake with vigor below him in chaos.” In the most unpredicted moments of coincidences, the ground would begin to shake during the 8th of October, 1865 at no other places but the city of San Francisco. This coincidence led to many superstitions of Norton's words, and even believe that it was divine prediction. This was further speculated as the iconic Montgomery Street suffered no damage. Although, Norton would not confirm those words were of that intention.
Emperor Norton did quick work to help the city that put him up a pedestal. He contacted the Governor of California to help send relief funds, and he went across the Golden State fundraising, while also organizing reconstruction efforts. It was even said Norton extorted some wealthy businesses using his connections to pump out some funds. Either way, Emperor Norton would do his best to have San Francisco recover, and recover it did. By 1866, the city's damages were all gone. At this point, Norton was called the "model servant of God" by Chivington and his church, which gained more and more support as Chivington adopted bombastic rhetoric in his sermons and organized connectivity with the San Francisco community, although some would consider it "cult-like".
God's Church, San Francisco
Emperor Norton would continue to be a Golden State favorite, and John Chivington would find success in starting construction of a new church in Oakland. However, there were still some who despised Norton, continuing to call him a lunatic. This hatred would boil over when Emperor Norton announced he would run for Governor of California. If there was a single city that could be said that hated Norton, it would be San Jose. John A. Quinby, Mayor of San Jose, very much disliked Norton, and he even supported Henry H. Haight, a Democrat who was against Lincoln. However, Norton would just have too many advantages. Much of California saw him as a war hero and the previous Governor, Frederick Low, would give his full support to Norton. Those who were against Norton had already gained a bad rap. He ran as a Republican, the dominant party in the US, as he found support outside of California as well, being more popular than their other candidates for Governorship, although he did not agree with the principals of the Radical Republicans, leaning more on the moderate side. Either way, Norton was assured to be Governor, however, that possibility split into violence.
The Haight Estate Burning, Alameda
On the 2nd of December 1867, Emperor Norton was arrested by a San Jose officer, Armond Barbier, who formally did his work at San Francisco, but transferred to San Jose. Much of California saw this as a crime, while others saw this as justified. Either way, Frederick Low saw this as undemocratic. Henry Haight attempted to brush it off as Norton used bribery and corruption to win the election, but that just rubbed off as the other candidate being associated with the arrest, and on the day Norton would've assumed the role as Governor, the people of Alameda went to Haight's estate with pitchforks and torches, burning the building, with Haight in it, unable to escape. A day after the Haight Estate Burning, Norton's Royal Guard led by Frederick Coombs, and a mob of San Franciscans marched to San Jose, with intentions to free Norton.
Quinby had no intentions to back down and called for some policemen and militias to defend San Jose. The two sides began off as non-threatening, but as things got more violent, like when rocks were beginning to be thrown and rioters armed themselves with large sticks and shanks, a shot was fired. In moments, bullets followed like dominoes, and death would occur. Soon, Frederick Low called up some Federal troops and sent them to San Jose to bring order. The San Jose Massacre would be what it would be called, as 16 deaths would have occurred from the fighting, mostly from the San Franciscans. Quinby would be forced to relinquish his mayorship of San Jose or face trial for arresting a political candidate. When Norton would be able to finally take his spot as Governor of California, he pardoned the perpetrators of the Haight Estate Burning.
Emperor Norton would then pressure the San Jose City Council on who elected the next Mayor, to favor him or face consequences. In turn, they elected Henry F. Teschemacher, the former Mayor of San Francisco and supporter of Norton. He had supported another loyalist of his, Newton Booth, to become Mayor of San Francisco. Norton would begin his term buffing up the idea of "state-supported militia". At this point, some eastern politicians thought this was California practically owning an army, which was not allowed, but Norton ensured they would only be used for the safeguarding of the American people.
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[1] The first Norton relocation would be to South Africa, originally from Britain, being a part of a government-backed colonization scheme.
5. The Savior of San Francisco
"Men were befallen by the might of God at San Francisco, and one man would raise them up again." - John Chivington on Norton's work during the Great San Francisco Earthquake
Louis Norton, deceased older brother of Emperor Norton
Then the persona of Norton, Emperor of the United States, evolved when a few new characters entered the scene at San Francisco. Being the Mayor of San Francisco, Norton was planning on a new Norton relocation [1]. Norton was actually a second-son, with his older brother, Louis Norton, dying the same year his mother left her mortal coil. Joshua never really had the wealth to relocate his literally distant family to meet with him in San Francisco, but now that same man was mayor of a major city. So during the year 1865, Emperor Norton had much of his family move to San Francisco, being mostly nephews and some of his brothers. Soon, the "Norton Family" boosted the popularity of Emperor Norton and showed all of his family members how successful he had become. Emperor Norton eventually had his family move into a small estate that he had purchased.
Norton sat comfy at his mayoral seat and was surprised to see John Chivington at San Francisco. After being the perpetrator of the Sand Creek Massacre, which killed multiple Cheyenne and Arapaho. He would flee to San Francisco after being hated by many, hoping that Norton would welcome him. Surprisingly, Emperor Norton did, although with some dismay by locals. Chivington stated that his stress got the better of him, and due to that, people were dead. It seemed that Chivington was looking for redemption. It was said by locals that Chivington would be heard by all, giving prayers and asking for forgiveness in the middle of the night. However, it was likely a fake tale made by Norton-supporters to try to redeem Chivington. Social pressure probably forced him into obscurity, and here he found himself in San Francisco.
John Chivington, founder of God’s Church
As the months passed, Chivington integrated with the city and maintained his relationship with Emperor Norton. He would even open up his own church with Norton's help, God's Church, in San Francisco. Teaching largely Methodist beliefs, the church soon gained traction from Emperor Norton's support, often found amongst the listeners of Chivington's audience. Although he was no longer an official pastor, this didn’t stop him from performing sermons to his listeners. Norton once said that “If any man seeks to defile the reputation of a man of God, be it that the Holy Land shake with vigor below him in chaos.” In the most unpredicted moments of coincidences, the ground would begin to shake during the 8th of October, 1865 at no other places but the city of San Francisco. This coincidence led to many superstitions of Norton's words, and even believe that it was divine prediction. This was further speculated as the iconic Montgomery Street suffered no damage. Although, Norton would not confirm those words were of that intention.
Emperor Norton did quick work to help the city that put him up a pedestal. He contacted the Governor of California to help send relief funds, and he went across the Golden State fundraising, while also organizing reconstruction efforts. It was even said Norton extorted some wealthy businesses using his connections to pump out some funds. Either way, Emperor Norton would do his best to have San Francisco recover, and recover it did. By 1866, the city's damages were all gone. At this point, Norton was called the "model servant of God" by Chivington and his church, which gained more and more support as Chivington adopted bombastic rhetoric in his sermons and organized connectivity with the San Francisco community, although some would consider it "cult-like".
God's Church, San Francisco
Emperor Norton would continue to be a Golden State favorite, and John Chivington would find success in starting construction of a new church in Oakland. However, there were still some who despised Norton, continuing to call him a lunatic. This hatred would boil over when Emperor Norton announced he would run for Governor of California. If there was a single city that could be said that hated Norton, it would be San Jose. John A. Quinby, Mayor of San Jose, very much disliked Norton, and he even supported Henry H. Haight, a Democrat who was against Lincoln. However, Norton would just have too many advantages. Much of California saw him as a war hero and the previous Governor, Frederick Low, would give his full support to Norton. Those who were against Norton had already gained a bad rap. He ran as a Republican, the dominant party in the US, as he found support outside of California as well, being more popular than their other candidates for Governorship, although he did not agree with the principals of the Radical Republicans, leaning more on the moderate side. Either way, Norton was assured to be Governor, however, that possibility split into violence.
The Haight Estate Burning, Alameda
On the 2nd of December 1867, Emperor Norton was arrested by a San Jose officer, Armond Barbier, who formally did his work at San Francisco, but transferred to San Jose. Much of California saw this as a crime, while others saw this as justified. Either way, Frederick Low saw this as undemocratic. Henry Haight attempted to brush it off as Norton used bribery and corruption to win the election, but that just rubbed off as the other candidate being associated with the arrest, and on the day Norton would've assumed the role as Governor, the people of Alameda went to Haight's estate with pitchforks and torches, burning the building, with Haight in it, unable to escape. A day after the Haight Estate Burning, Norton's Royal Guard led by Frederick Coombs, and a mob of San Franciscans marched to San Jose, with intentions to free Norton.
Quinby had no intentions to back down and called for some policemen and militias to defend San Jose. The two sides began off as non-threatening, but as things got more violent, like when rocks were beginning to be thrown and rioters armed themselves with large sticks and shanks, a shot was fired. In moments, bullets followed like dominoes, and death would occur. Soon, Frederick Low called up some Federal troops and sent them to San Jose to bring order. The San Jose Massacre would be what it would be called, as 16 deaths would have occurred from the fighting, mostly from the San Franciscans. Quinby would be forced to relinquish his mayorship of San Jose or face trial for arresting a political candidate. When Norton would be able to finally take his spot as Governor of California, he pardoned the perpetrators of the Haight Estate Burning.
Emperor Norton would then pressure the San Jose City Council on who elected the next Mayor, to favor him or face consequences. In turn, they elected Henry F. Teschemacher, the former Mayor of San Francisco and supporter of Norton. He had supported another loyalist of his, Newton Booth, to become Mayor of San Francisco. Norton would begin his term buffing up the idea of "state-supported militia". At this point, some eastern politicians thought this was California practically owning an army, which was not allowed, but Norton ensured they would only be used for the safeguarding of the American people.
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[1] The first Norton relocation would be to South Africa, originally from Britain, being a part of a government-backed colonization scheme.
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