Joshua Norton Posthumously Reinstated as a Mason After 166 Years
On 21 August 1854, Joshua Norton was inducted as a member of Occidental Lodge No. 22 of Free and Accepted Masons.
Sometime between May 1858 and May 1859, Joshua was "suspended for non-payment of dues" from Occidental 22.
Sometime in the early to mid twentieth century, Occidental 22 sought to merge with the San Francisco-based California Lodge No. 1 of F. & A.M. — the oldest Masonic lodge in California — after which Occidental 22 ceased to exist as a separate lodge.
In June 2024, The Emperor Norton Trust suggested to California 1 that it explore the possibility of posthumously reinstating Joshua Norton and forgiving his unpaid dues.
A year later, on 3 June 2025, California 1 did just that.
Of course, there were a few more twists and turns.
This is the story of a homecoming.
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