Hans Nilson Langseth (July 14, 1846 – November 10, 1927) was a Norwegian-American who held the record for the world's longest beard.[1]
Hans Langseth | |
|---|---|
 Hans Langseth c. 1912 | |
| Born | Hans Nilson Langseth July 14, 1846 |
| Died | November 10, 1927 (aged 81) Wyndmere, Richland County, North Dakota, United States |
| Burial place | Elk Creek Church Cemetery |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Known for | Longest beard |
| Spouse | Anna Berntsen |
Biography
editLangseth was born in Eidsvoll, Norway, on July 14, 1846, and immigrated to the United States in 1867. He married Anna Berntsen in 1870 and worked as a farmer in Elkton Township, Minnesota. Later on in his life, he began growing a beard as part of a contest, and he won the contest.[2] In his later life, he traveled around the United States as part of a freak show showing off his beard.[3]
Langseth died aged 81 in Wyndmere, North Dakota, on November 10, 1927, and is buried in Elk Creek Church Cemetery in Kensett, Iowa.[4] When he died, his beard measured 5.33 meters (17.5 ft).[5][6] It was donated to the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution in 1967.[7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Longest beard – male". Guinness World Records. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
- ^ "The longest beard in history is 17 feet 6 inches long and its proud owner ended up joining the circus". The Vintage News. March 12, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ Parker, Mike (1983). The World's Most Fantastic Freaks. London: Octopus Publishing Group. p. 96. ISBN 9780706419399.
- ^ "Longest Whiskers". The Greene Recorder. November 23, 1927. p. 7. Retrieved January 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Glendrange, Sølvi (November 12, 2003). "Rekord for rekordbok". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Labrador CMS.
- ^ Ferry, Peter (2020). Beards and Masculinity in American Literature. New York: Routledge. p. 12.
- ^ Warren, Michael W.; Walsh-Haney, Heather A.; Freas, Laurel (May 9, 2008). "History and Collections of the Division of Physical Anthropology". In Hunt, David R. (ed.). The Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 155. ISBN 9781420004021.
- ^ "Are beards good for your health?". BBC News. January 20, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
