Mr. Langseth's beard is preserved in the Smithsonian at Washington, D.C.
Thanks to findagrave contributor Timeless for the following:
Hans Nilson Langseth, 82, pioneer Richland county farmer, who was famed throughout the world as having a beard more than 17 feet in length, believed to be the longest beard ever grown, died at his farm home in Wyndmere, Richland County, North Dakota, on Nov. 10, 1927, from complications of old age. Short services were held at the Sterner church, near the Langseth farm. The body was sent to his former home of Kensett, Iowa, for burial.
Langseth began his beard while living in Eidsvoll, Norway. It was the town custom for men to grow facial hair during the winter months and to shave with the arrival of spring. He did this until he reached 29 years of age. Then, emboldened by the astonishing luxuriousness of its growth, he decided to let the chest protector sprout. He said he was curious how long the beard would grow, not realizing the facial hair would average an annual increase of 4.5".
The extreme end of the whiskers, which, years ago, nestled close to the chin, formed a mat of Viking red when he reached the U.S. in 1876. When he is not using his beard to measure the distance between fence posts (just about a rod), he kept it tucked beneath his vest. While the main champion strands measured 17 feet, a shorter crop still bushed out in the ordinary beard manner. To wash his beard he used a curtain stretcher, but found combing difficult. He noted he used to let folks pull his beard, in the tug of war style, but stopped once it began hurting his neck.
He had instructed his surviving children he wanted an open-casket funeral after which his beard was to be removed and saved for posterity. A son complied with the request and the box containing the beard sat in an attic for decades before being donated to the Smithsonian. The Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed the beard to be the longest in the world, measuring 17 feet, 6 inches.
The Bismarck Tribune
Bismarck, North Dakota
15 Nov 1927, Tue • Page 3
Thanks to findagrave contributor Timeless for the following:
Hans Nilson Langseth, 82, pioneer Richland county farmer, who was famed throughout the world as having a beard more than 17 feet in length, believed to be the longest beard ever grown, died at his farm home in Wyndmere, Richland County, North Dakota, on Nov. 10, 1927, from complications of old age. Short services were held at the Sterner church, near the Langseth farm. The body was sent to his former home of Kensett, Iowa, for burial.
Langseth began his beard while living in Eidsvoll, Norway. It was the town custom for men to grow facial hair during the winter months and to shave with the arrival of spring. He did this until he reached 29 years of age. Then, emboldened by the astonishing luxuriousness of its growth, he decided to let the chest protector sprout. He said he was curious how long the beard would grow, not realizing the facial hair would average an annual increase of 4.5".
The extreme end of the whiskers, which, years ago, nestled close to the chin, formed a mat of Viking red when he reached the U.S. in 1876. When he is not using his beard to measure the distance between fence posts (just about a rod), he kept it tucked beneath his vest. While the main champion strands measured 17 feet, a shorter crop still bushed out in the ordinary beard manner. To wash his beard he used a curtain stretcher, but found combing difficult. He noted he used to let folks pull his beard, in the tug of war style, but stopped once it began hurting his neck.
He had instructed his surviving children he wanted an open-casket funeral after which his beard was to be removed and saved for posterity. A son complied with the request and the box containing the beard sat in an attic for decades before being donated to the Smithsonian. The Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed the beard to be the longest in the world, measuring 17 feet, 6 inches.
The Bismarck Tribune
Bismarck, North Dakota
15 Nov 1927, Tue • Page 3
Mr. Langseth's beard is preserved in the Smithsonian at Washington, D.C.
Thanks to findagrave contributor Timeless for the following:
Hans Nilson Langseth, 82, pioneer Richland county farmer, who was famed throughout the world as having a beard more than 17 feet in length, believed to be the longest beard ever grown, died at his farm home in Wyndmere, Richland County, North Dakota, on Nov. 10, 1927, from complications of old age. Short services were held at the Sterner church, near the Langseth farm. The body was sent to his former home of Kensett, Iowa, for burial.
Langseth began his beard while living in Eidsvoll, Norway. It was the town custom for men to grow facial hair during the winter months and to shave with the arrival of spring. He did this until he reached 29 years of age. Then, emboldened by the astonishing luxuriousness of its growth, he decided to let the chest protector sprout. He said he was curious how long the beard would grow, not realizing the facial hair would average an annual increase of 4.5".
The extreme end of the whiskers, which, years ago, nestled close to the chin, formed a mat of Viking red when he reached the U.S. in 1876. When he is not using his beard to measure the distance between fence posts (just about a rod), he kept it tucked beneath his vest. While the main champion strands measured 17 feet, a shorter crop still bushed out in the ordinary beard manner. To wash his beard he used a curtain stretcher, but found combing difficult. He noted he used to let folks pull his beard, in the tug of war style, but stopped once it began hurting his neck.
He had instructed his surviving children he wanted an open-casket funeral after which his beard was to be removed and saved for posterity. A son complied with the request and the box containing the beard sat in an attic for decades before being donated to the Smithsonian. The Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed the beard to be the longest in the world, measuring 17 feet, 6 inches.
The Bismarck Tribune
Bismarck, North Dakota
15 Nov 1927, Tue • Page 3
Thanks to findagrave contributor Timeless for the following:
Hans Nilson Langseth, 82, pioneer Richland county farmer, who was famed throughout the world as having a beard more than 17 feet in length, believed to be the longest beard ever grown, died at his farm home in Wyndmere, Richland County, North Dakota, on Nov. 10, 1927, from complications of old age. Short services were held at the Sterner church, near the Langseth farm. The body was sent to his former home of Kensett, Iowa, for burial.
Langseth began his beard while living in Eidsvoll, Norway. It was the town custom for men to grow facial hair during the winter months and to shave with the arrival of spring. He did this until he reached 29 years of age. Then, emboldened by the astonishing luxuriousness of its growth, he decided to let the chest protector sprout. He said he was curious how long the beard would grow, not realizing the facial hair would average an annual increase of 4.5".
The extreme end of the whiskers, which, years ago, nestled close to the chin, formed a mat of Viking red when he reached the U.S. in 1876. When he is not using his beard to measure the distance between fence posts (just about a rod), he kept it tucked beneath his vest. While the main champion strands measured 17 feet, a shorter crop still bushed out in the ordinary beard manner. To wash his beard he used a curtain stretcher, but found combing difficult. He noted he used to let folks pull his beard, in the tug of war style, but stopped once it began hurting his neck.
He had instructed his surviving children he wanted an open-casket funeral after which his beard was to be removed and saved for posterity. A son complied with the request and the box containing the beard sat in an attic for decades before being donated to the Smithsonian. The Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed the beard to be the longest in the world, measuring 17 feet, 6 inches.
The Bismarck Tribune
Bismarck, North Dakota
15 Nov 1927, Tue • Page 3
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