The Man Who was Attacked for his Beard.

John Palmer is one of those legendary figures of Massachusetts that is often forgotten, but he has one of those unusual stories that should be remembered.

Palmer lived in Massachusetts and fought for the United States in the War of 1812. In the years that followed the war, he returned home to Leominster and began growing...a beard. Now, this should not be considered anything out of the ordinary, except that beards had gone out of style. Still, that should not be cause for concern.

Well, Palmers beard grew a little long. People in town began to consider him sloppy and unkempt. He gained contempt from many people for his appearance. A local minister was even said to be critical of him.

In 1830, Palmer moved to Fitchburg, MA. His problems did not stop there. According to legend, he was the only man who lived there with a beard. In May of 1830, four men in Fitchburg decided to take matters into their own hands. With little regard to Palmer's feelings, they decided he needed a shave. Armed with scissors and razors, they decided to trim his beard for him. Jumping the man, they forcibly tried to cut the beard, but Palmer fought back. He whipped out a pocketknife that he carried and stabbed two of the men who were essentially attacking him for lack of a better term.

Laws were different in Massachusetts and Palmer was arrested. He could have avoided jail time if he paid a fee, but Palmer refused, believing he was innocent (and just protecting himself) and that he had a right to grow the beard. Palmer was actually jailed for fourteen months.  In fact, prisoners and prison guards are said to have tried to shave his beard. Bad publicity caused the jail to release him. In fact, Palmer refused to leave until he received an official proclamation that beards were fine to grow....but none was given. Instead, he was just kicked out of jail. He later paid the fine because his mother asked him to (according to local lore).

We he was released, he joined the Fruitlands Utopian community in Harvard and became friends with Louisa May Alcott. The character Moses White in her story Transcendental White Oats is based on him.

Palmer died somewhere between 1865 and 1875 (depending on the source) and his tombstone even marks the fact that he was persecuted for his beard.

Palmer's story goes to show that Massachusetts has long had people who have had to speak up for right to live how they want to live and fight persecution in the process.


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