Who was the first U.S. President to have a beard?

President Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865) was the first U.S. chief executive to departure from the well recognized tradition of smooth faced presidents. Lincoln was supposedly (and famously) influenced by 11 year old Grace Bedell to start growing a beard shortly before he was elected.

After Lincoln, all but two presidents over the next 50 years sported facial hair, the exceptions being Andrew Johnson (1865–69) and William McKinley (1897–1901). The most recent president to have facial hair was William Howard Taft (1909–1913); Taft wore a mustache.