Beards of Note - Peter Cooper

Peter Cooper, 187-?. Brown Brothers, photographer. From the Miscellaneous photograph collection. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Peter Cooper was the inventor of the first steam locomotive, the Tom Thumb. The National Museum of American History has a model of the Tom Thumb in their transportation collection.

Interestingly, Cooper is also credited with inventing the first gelatin dessert—something we now call JELL-O.

More on Peter Cooper.

Jennifer Snyder works with oral history interviews at the Archives American Art. When not sending interviews out for digitization, she is writing about extraordinary examples of facial hair for this blog.

Comments

[Claudio]

The part i really appreciate of the Peter cooper's life is his efforts in anti-slavery movements, and in favor of the native americans. Besides he was critic of the gold standard and the debt-based monetary system of bank currency...
He was more then inventor.
Great example!

[Jessica Clifford]

I love my husbands beard. He keeps up on it well and it makes him look very distinguished.

And I just love jell-o.

[Dave]

I just found your blog while searching for articles about steam locomotives. Excellent post and helpful references. Thank you for sharing this with us. Keep up the good work.

[kit]

From the first steam-powered plant by Thomas Savery, the steam engine by Thomas Newcomen and James Watt and the improvements of Oliver Evans had matured over the years, the steam engine into a powerful engine. It was only a matter of time, steam engines to use as a drive for rail vehicles was common until then replace the horse-drawn trams. One of the first inventor, who dared to approach this project was the British inventor Richard Trevithick. Even if its steam locomotives still the big breakthrough was denied, but he deserves the honor of being one of the inventors of the steam locomotive...

[DeAngelo]

Very nice Site here.

Who could imagine the Jell-o and the steam locomotives are so related? Thank you for sharing this piece of history.

Wonderful post... Very informative. Thanks for sharing this.

[Jared]

I think he was trying for the full-on Captain Caveman beard!

[Weldon]

man are they days of shaving in a salon gone? i know that's dangerous at the least, but i'm sure it feels professional and it's a good memory

[Carole Book]

I so do not like facial hair!!!! Give me a smoothie anytime!

If I grew such a beard, I am sure I would awake one morning to find my wife had trimmed it for me in the night. There is no was I could pull off that look with her approval.

[names of birds]

is it a personal or more regional style?

That's one of the best beards which I have seen. Sure he inspired a generation.

[Ella Lu]

Love the "Beards of Note" topic. Reminds me of great mullets I've seen out there. Seriously, tho, you'd have to respect a fellow with a beard like that.

[Virginia]

I lived in Washington DC and have seen this model. Amazing how such a simple invention could bring about so much change. I did not know about "Jello". Even at 67 you learn something new every day

[Bo]

Wish I could grow a beard like that.

[Loyd]

I am always curious to see these old pictures. As a photographer I now tell my clients to be more candid and less borrowing. For a inventor that made our fist state to state mass travel transit possible, he sure could afford a nice bear trimmed up.

Its not a good idea not to bear some times is look cheap:-)

its really nice & amazing !!