145 years ago today, on January 8, 1880 (November 27, 1879, the self-proclaimed "Emperor of the United States of America and Regent of Mexico" Norton passed away. Joshua Abraham Norton (January 17, 1811-January 8, 1880), also known as "His Majesty Norton I", was an honorary citizen of San Francisco, USA. In 1859, he self-proclaimed "Emperor of the United States of America and King of Mexico." Although he had no office or power, and only some people who made him happy recognized his "authority", he was treated favorably in San Francisco, and the "currency" he issued was accepted in the shops he frequented. He once wrote a letter to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and at the time of his death, the local media and the public addressed him respectfully as "His Majesty the Emperor." Although he is generally considered mentally abnormal or even crazy, in the mid-19th century, residents of San Francisco enjoyed his existence, his humor, and his actions. His most famous behavior was ordering the dissolution of the U.S. Congress by force and repeatedly ordered the construction of a bridge across the San Francisco Bay. It is said that the king character in one of Mark Twain's books, The Adventures of Huckerberg Finn, is based on Norton I. Some new religious groups even regard him as a saint.