Preserving five centuries of Beard family heritage, from our earliest roots in Germany to present-day descendants across America.
To preserve, protect, and share the stories of the Beard family lineage — from our earliest roots in Germany to the present-day generations living across America.
We are committed to honoring our ancestors by documenting their lives, their sacrifices, and their legacies for future generations to discover, cherish, and continue.
To become the definitive digital archive of the Beard family's heritage — a living, evolving family chronicle that unites descendants, inspires connection, and ensures that no branch of our family tree is forgotten.
The Beard Family Tree project was born out of one descendant's personal devotion to family, history, and storytelling. Ryan Miner, a descendant of the Beard family line, traces his roots back through generations of ancestors who journeyed from Germany to establish the American branch of our family.
Over the centuries, the family name evolved through generations: from early German origins to Nichlaus Bard (1678–1721) of Nieder-Saulheim, and ultimately to John P. Beard, who immigrated to Maryland in 1739 and established the American branch of the family.
Inspired by this remarkable lineage, Ryan created this archive as a labor of love — a modern-day tribute to the generations who came before us.
We believe legacy matters. We believe names, dates, and places tell only part of the story — that the lives lived between the lines are what make a family's history truly meaningful.
The Beard Family Tree exists to preserve those in-between moments: the sacrifices made, the traditions carried forward, and the love that has quietly shaped our family's story.
This website is dedicated to Joyce D. (Beard) Miner — a cherished daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother whose life has been deeply rooted in Washington County, Maryland. Born in Hagerstown and a lifelong resident of Mapleville and Boonsboro for nearly 50 years, Joyce lived just down the road from her parents' Mapleville family farm, alongside her many brothers and sisters and with her beloved late husband of 47 years, Robert Scott Miner, who passed away in November 2009.
Joyce is the heart of a family that still measures its days in memories, home-cooked meals, porch-front conversations, and deep generational ties. Her life is a quiet testament to steadfastness — grounded in faith, family, and the enduring spirit of the Beard legacy.
Though Alzheimer's has brought its challenges, Joyce continues to live with dignity and grace in a memory care community in Hagerstown. Her presence still radiates warmth and lots of laughter, and her story — carried now by those who love her — continues to inspire.
This project is her grandson Ryan R. Miner's tribute — a living archive of family history shaped by her influence. It is built in her honor, to preserve the names, places, and stories that shaped her life and to ensure that the history she carried so gently is never forgotten. Every page of this site whispers the same promise: we remember — and we will continue to remember — because Joyce showed us how.
As this project grows, the Beard Family Tree will begin partnering with mission-aligned organizations like the Alzheimer's Association and other nonprofits serving older adults and their families.
Our goal is to expand our mission beyond genealogy — helping families preserve memories, document legacies, and navigate the challenges of memory loss with compassion and purpose. We believe that by connecting stories to support, and legacy to advocacy, we can help ensure that no history is ever forgotten — even when memories fade.
A legacy preserved, one ancestor at a time.
Preserving five centuries of Beard family heritage
My name is Ryan Miner, and I am a descendant of the Beard family line that traces back through generations of ancestors who journeyed from Germany to establish deep roots in American soil.
This site is a labor of love — a living archive dedicated to preserving the Beard family legacy, from our earliest documented roots in Germany to our modern-day lives across America, with particular focus on our Maryland heritage.
My paternal grandmother, Joyce (Beard) Miner, was born May 9, 1941, to Allen John Beard and Mary Devona Eyler Beard in Hagerstown, Maryland. Her story, and the stories of all our ancestors, deserve to be remembered and shared.
Do you have Beard family stories, photos, or documents to share? Every contribution helps complete our family's historical tapestry.
I was born on November 15, 1985, in Hagerstown, Maryland, at the old Washington County Hospital to Bryan Curtis Miner and Colleen Michelle Hann (Bowers). I spent my childhood in Hagerstown and Halfway and graduated from Williamsport High School in 2003.
I earned my B.A. in Political Science from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 2008 and completed my MBA from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg in 2020. I'm married to my amazing wife, Kimberly, and together we're raising two wonderful children, Joshua and Paige.
Today, I live in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and work as a healthcare marketing and business development professional for a home-based primary care practice. The Beard Family Tree project is a personal labor of love — a tribute to legacy, memory, and roots.