DE HOFF/DE HUFF/DAYHUFF GENEALOGY

Records written by JOSIAS W. DEHOFF found in an old family Bible.  In 1930 Bible in hands of Jennie DeHoff Houseman

The DeHoff family originated in France when it was tyranically governed by the Roman Catholic Church.  A certain DeHoff emigrated to Germany to enjoy a Protestant faith.

PHILIP DEHOFF is the first American.  He came to America in 1702.  His father lived on the River Rhine.  PHILIP was the youngest of six brothers.  He ran away with a loaf of bread and his clothes to escape the Napolian war between France and Germany.  He caught a ship and sailed to America landing in Philadelphia and settled in Lancaster County, PA which is now York County.

PHILIP had two sons:  GEORGE P.(apparently incorrect and should be John George whose father's name apparently was HENRY and not PHILIP per York County Wills) and HENRY/HONICK.  We have no information on HENRY, AKA, HONICK.  It is written that he had double thumbs and the strength of a giant.

GEORGE P had six sons:
  1) John   2) Jacob  3) David   4) Christian  5) Peter  6) George P
              David died childless.  It is supposed that Christian's descendents all died of consumption.
   JOHN moved to Maryland died in Maryland as did his brothers Jacob and Peter.  John had 7 sons.
   1)  Peter (died under one year of age)
   2)  John
   3)  Moses
   4) David (died a bachelor)
   5  Jacob
             Had two sons - Josias W and John B
   6)  Samuel (lived and died in Maryland. Had one son who died 8/14/1867)
             This son had four sons; the youngest and oldest died
              2nd son, Dr. Jne W. DeHoff lived in York, PA
              3rd son, Jacob H. DeHoff lived in  Greenmount, Carroll County, MD and was a ticket
                      agent on the West Maryland Railroad.
   7)  Michael

During the Revolutionary War there was an Abraham DeHoff, but the spelling was changed to DeHuff.  The change from German to English caused the spelling of the name to change.

Here is a letter written to CLARENCE EARL DE HOFF from JACOB N. DE HOFF, May 7, 1925.

"In reply to your conversation with my son a few days ago, I will give you what information I have of the lineage of the DeHoff family.  The early history of the family is largely by tradition, having been handed down from one generation to another.  I find some information in an old family Bible written at the instance of my grandfather SAMUEL DE HOFF.

The DeHoff family lived in France until the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and were of the Protestant faith.  The father of the family held an important office under the French Government.  The oldest son inherited this office and espoused the Catholic faith.  The others of the family emigrated to Germany and located along the river  Rhine.

Some years later, PHILIP DE HOFF, the youngest son came to America and landed at Philadelphia in the year 1702.  He located in Germantown near Philadelphia.  here he married and had two sons, JOHN AND GEORGE.

When these boys grew to manhood they moved to Lancaster County.  John locating in Lancaster and George going further west into what is now York County.

George  DeHoff had children, but I have account of only one son who had six sons: John, Jacob, George, Christian, David and Peter.  George was in the Continental Army and served to the close of the war. 

JOHN, my great grandfather, came to Maryland in 1797 and bought the old homestead here at Greenmount, MD.  He had seven sons and two daughters: Peter, John, Moses, David, Jacob, Samuel and Michael.  Peter died in infancy and David in early manhood.  John, Moses and Michael went to Ohio and have many descendants through the Western states.  They hold a reunion in Ohio every year.  Jacob and Samuel remained in this state.  Samuel bought the home farm from his father in 1820.  Jacob was your great grandfather.  you can trace the balance easily.

I am the grandson of Samuel De Hoff.  My father John De Hoff, was the only son of Samuel De Hoff.

Hoping this will help in your investigation of the DeHoff family.

For the Will of Phillip Dayhuff (1842)

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