I was wondering if the string of bearded presidents following Lincoln was about. Was this facial hair style a unique trait of the North (with the Tennessee born Johnson being the clear hairless outlier) or was it a generally popular style in the States? I so, did the popularity of a full beard originate in Europe, or if not, did it spread there? Thanks.
You might be interested in this older discussion on bearded presidents, especially the copious examples provided by /u/captmonkey .