Hans Langseth

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 (1846-07-14)July 14, 1846 Eidsvoll, Akershus, Union of Sweden and Norway
Died	November 10, 1927(1927-11-10) (aged 81) Wyndmere, North Dakota, United States
Burial place	Elk Creek Church Cemetery
Occupation	Farmer
Known for	Longest beard
Spouse	Anna Berntsen

Biography

Langseth 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 of complications of old age^[4] at age 81 in Wyndmere, North Dakota, on November 10, 1927, and is buried in Elk Creek Church Cemetery in Kensett, Iowa.^[5] When he died, his beard measured 5.33 meters (17.5 ft).^[6][7] It was donated to the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution in 1967.^[8][9]

See also

• Hans Staininger