While waiting in line at Hagerstown’s Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home on March 31, 2025 — surrounded by familiar faces etched with the lines of our shared ancestry — I found myself staring at photographs I’d never seen.
I saw images of family I barely knew, farmhouses that once sheltered generations of Beards, and family gatherings that happened decades before I was born.
My great-uncle Neal Beard had passed away, and another keeper of the Beard family stories went with him.
Staring at those faded photographs and listening to relatives share memories that might otherwise be lost forever, I felt compelled to act.
The Beard Family Tree website was born not from academic curiosity, but from the urgent recognition that with every passing year, another chapter of our five-century story risks being forgotten.
The Weight of Legacy
My grandmother, Joyce D. (Beard) Miner, resides in a memory care community in Hagerstown, Maryland, just miles from the Washington County farmland where her ancestors first settled.
Alzheimer’s cannot touch the legacy that flows through her bloodline —a legacy that stretches back to 1739 when John P. Beard first set foot on Maryland soil, having journeyed from Germany to establish what would become the American branch of our family.
Joyce Darlene (Beard) Miner
My grandmother, Joyce Beard, who Uncle Neal affectionately called “Hap,” embodies everything unique the Beard family represents.
She was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on May 9, 1941, graduated from South Hagerstown High School in 1959, and married my late grandfather, Robert Scott Miner, on January 6, 1962.
She lived most of her life within the embrace of Washington County, settling in Mapleville for nearly fifty years, where she raised my uncle and father, Bryan Curtis Miner. She and my late grandfather, Robert Scott Miner, raised my father and uncle with the same values her ancestors carried across the Atlantic: steadfastness, hard work, faith, and an unwavering commitment to family.
I sometimes bring printed photographs from our family’s history. Sometimes, there’s a flicker of recognition in her eyes, a momentary connection to the stories that shaped her. I most profoundly hope this website—this digital preservation of our family’s journey—will bridge her fading memories and the rich heritage that defines the Beard family’s deep history in Washington County.
Discovering Our Roots Through History’s Great Moments
My undergraduate studies at Duquesne University, where I minored in history, taught me that the most compelling stories are often found not in textbooks but in ordinary people who lived through extraordinary times.
The Beard family has done precisely that.
Our ancestors didn’t just observe American history — they lived it, shaped it, and passed it down through generations of resilience and determination.
From Nichlaus Bard (1678–1721) in Nieder-Saulheim, Germany, to John P. Beard’s bold immigration to colonial Maryland, the Beard family navigated some of the most transformative periods in European and American history. They weathered the uncertainties of colonial life, the upheaval of the Revolutionary War, the expansion westward, the Industrial Revolution, two World Wars, and countless personal triumphs and tragedies that never made it into history books but shaped the character of future generations.
These weren’t just names on a family tree —they were real people who made real choices that echo through our lives today. They were farmers, craftsmen, soldiers, mothers, entrepreneurs, and community builders.
Our Beard ancestors’ stories deserve the same care and attention that professional historians give to presidents and generals.
A Mission Born from Love, Guided by Truth
The creation of the Beard Family Tree website represents more than genealogical research —it’s a labor of love dedicated to honoring every branch of our family, no matter how distant or seemingly insignificant.
This project operates on several core principles that guide every decision I make about content and presentation.
Family First
Family first means that every ancestor matters, every descendant has value, and no story is too small to preserve.
Whether someone was a prominent community leader or a loving parent who raised their children with integrity, their place in our family’s narrative is secure.
Truth and Integrity
Truth and integrity will invariably drive the Beard Family Tree website’s commitment to historical accuracy and responsible sourcing.
We research every claim, verify every document, and treat every story with the respect it deserves.
This site will honor documented facts and personal truths, understanding that family history encompasses official records and cherished memories passed down through generations.
Legacy Through Storytelling
Legacy through storytelling reflects our belief that dates and names alone cannot capture the essence of a life lived.
The Beard Family Tree website will seek out the stories that bring our ancestors to life — their struggles, victories, quiet moments of courage, and expressions of love that sustained families through difficult times.
Building Something Bigger Than Ourselves
What started as a personal quest to understand my heritage has evolved into something much larger.
The Beard Family Tree is designed as a living, growing archive that will outlast any single generation. It welcomes contributions from family members across the country, accommodates new discoveries, and serves future generations who will undoubtedly uncover details we cannot imagine today.
This project isn’t just a website — it’s a commitment to the future.
As the project grows, we plan to partner with organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association and other groups that serve older adults and their families. We believe preserving family memories can serve a greater purpose, helping other families navigate the challenges of memory loss while ensuring that no history is ever truly forgotten.
A Digital Monument to Joyce Beard Miner’s Influence
Every page of the Beard Family Tree website whispers the same promise that Grandma Joyce taught me through her example: we remember, and we will continue to remember.
Her influence permeates every aspect of this project, from its dedication to family values to its commitment to preserving the stories that might otherwise slip away.
In a world that moves increasingly fast, where digital communication often replaces face-to-face conversation, and where families can become scattered across continents, the Beard Family Tree website is a testament to the enduring power of family connection.
It’s proof that legacy matters, that our ancestors’ sacrifices were meaningful, and that the love that has quietly shaped our family’s story deserves to be celebrated and preserved.
An Invitation to Remember Together
The creation of the Beard Family Tree website is just the beginning.
This digital archive will only reach its full potential when it becomes a collaborative effort — a place where cousins can share newly discovered photographs, great-nieces can contribute family recipes, and distant relatives can connect the dots between their branch of the family tree and ours.
I invite every descendant of the Beard family, no matter how distant the connection, to be part of this story. Share your photographs, contribute your memories, and help us fill in the gaps that official records cannot address.
Together, we can build something that honors our past while inspiring our future.
Click here to share your family treasure with the Beard Family Tree community.
📬 Ready to contribute a memory, photo, or story?
Click here to share your family treasure with the Beard Family Tree community.