He is not a politician. He was a business man. I can't say much about the neck beard or if he even had one. In later life he didn't as that picture is much clearer.
I think the neck beard was like the man bun of today - it didn't get a whole lot of traction.
"There are few subjects that ignite more casual, uninformed bigotry and condescension from elites in this nation more than Dixie - Jonah Goldberg"