The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
TRIO MISSOURI Boards.
More Than Seventeen Feet Long. and Sin
Feet Longer Than Their Owners.

from the 81. Louis Republic.
Valentine Tapley Of Spencersburg. Pike coun-
ty, Mo-. has the longest beard OF any living man.
1t measures 81 feet = inches, and Is still growing.
Mr.. Tapiey is a wealthy farmer. a prominent
citizen. and a man of strong mental character
istics. He INDUCES a great deal in humor and
sarcasm, but his Aumor is OF such u biting char
acter that perhaps it is about as cutting as his
sarcasm. AS u consequence of this gift, he
generally creates a sensation on the witness
stand In his many tits with the lawyers. fire..
Quently getting the better in the war Of wit.
His father was born in North Carolina. re-
moved thence to kentucky. where he remained
ten years, and finally settled in n rich valley
called Buzzard Roost on the extreme north-
western edge Of the land OF Joe Bowers. There
"Valentine the Long Bearded" was born in
1881, and there he lives to this day, tilling his
broad acres and cultiyatinE his enormous " his
kers. His complexion is dark. He is a heavy
set man. five feet eight inches in height, with
very dark. bright eyes. His hair was once
black and very thick. 1t is not thin yet, but is
considerably dashed with silver. Both his
beard and hair are coarse and bristly. growing
largely out OF the fact that he has spent his
life principally out of doors. He is unusually
strong physically. enjoys splendid health.
comes OF a long-lived family, and bids fair to
reach the century mark hiinself-by which time
his beard will probably be twenty feet long, AS
lie let II begin to grow just thirty-nine years ago.
Mr.. Iapley is "A stanch Democrat in politics.
and leans toward the Southern Methodists IN
teuderly, dresses it with finest oil and combs it
with Il wooden comb made to order for that
Identical purpose, the teeth being highly pol
ished, perfectly smooth aud lar apart. When
his beard Is not being dressed, he carries it care
fully rolled uD ia u SILK bag. concealed i'll his
shirt bosom. 50 that n stranger upon casually
meeting HIM would never dream that he was in
the presence OF a man VINO G3ula MAKE an inde-
Tapley frequently visits St. Louis and Chi
caso TO sell his short-horn cattle. Of
which he breeds great numbers. and on such
occasions, to nave fun merely that and MOTH
ing more he puts his beard on exhibition to
the aston!shment of all beho!ders and to tho
special delight of the small boy. On one occa-
sion in Chicago Mr.. Taplev was followed along
the streets by such "A thronG of hdmiring people
that traffic was suspended until the police could
clear the way for pedestrians and vehicles. 1t
was after this exhibition Of his wealth of
wh!skers that the proprietor of n museum
offered Mr.. Tapley n salary greater than the
vice as the star attraction; but Tapley. being
we'll to do, refused that tempting offer and all
others of like character.
The astonishing fact remains TO be stated
that the man possessing the Second longest
beard IN the world is Elijah Gates, who lives
IN which MIR. Tapiey lives and moves and has
his whiskers. Whether it is the Innate. soil,
cnce such IA wondrous hirsutc growth is one
OF tho facts which no fellow is likely to find out
soon. Mr.. Gates has for years conducted u
large and thriving business as q merchant in
the village OF, Curryville on the G. and. A. r. X
lie was porn IN hentuCky III 1850 ana is n we'll
preserved. cheerful. afYable gentleman. promi-
nent in all good works in his neiEhbOrhood.
He is n broad shouldered. heavy-set man about
D feet z inches in stature and weighs about $50
pounds. He Is n brunette. ana his beard, which
isnow over eight feetlong. Is black as the ravens
wing and soft ms silk. IL il growing RAPIDLY and
1t is thought that he will yet oycrtake Tapley,
as mis- beard got n later start than Valentines.
Perhaps the reason why his is finer is because
he has spent most of his life indoors. He gives
his whiSkers about the same treatment that
Tapkey gives his and wears them in the same
style. I. u, hidden in his clothes.
Mr.. Gates went from Kentucky to California
during the gold fever, and finally landed in the
historic county Of PIKE. Mr.. Gates is n promi-
nent Democrat. takes an active interest IA cam
paigning. and has been frequently solicited by
his neighbors and friends to become n candidate
for office. but he prefers the pleasures and
emoluments OF merchandising. Like laplcy.
he has had tempting offers to go into the SHOW
business, but being well Off. he. too. has refused
all such offers, and keeps his beard for the
pleasure of himself and his friends.
In addition to Messrs. Tapley and Gates.
there arc two other PIkers who bid i4ir to be-
como famous for their boards John liaNkins
OF Farmer and John NJ. Scott OF Bowling
Green. They have been cultivating boards only
about 1--WE years, and now each man has whis-
kers over four feet long. AZ scott i, n young
man, tat aud broad faced. the chances are that,
In the course OF human events, he viii hava
moro hair on his tace than any OF them. llnw-
kins's beard il black, streaked with white, but
SCOTS Is of the dark sandy variety.