Re: Philip SLIFER- Montgomery Co., OH d 1865

I have reason to doubt that your Philip Slifer is derived from the Slifer family of Burkittsville, Frederick Co., Maryland.
A negative proof is very difficult, so I could be wrong, but I think you should look in Pennsylvania.

I have amassed all of the data that I can find on the Slifer's of Burkittsville, from which I am definitely descended, and I have no Philip in my files.Several direct descendents, including my own line, came through Champaign Co., Ohio, and there was a Stephen Slifer and descendents in Butler Co. who may be related.

There were at least 5 separate Slifer arrivals recorded at Philadelphia during the 18th Century, and I suspect that there were one or two before records started in 1727.Slifer is a skill based name, similar in principle to Smith or Miller, although it was a less common skill.There could still be many sources.