I am trying to find the parents of Christina (or Christiana) Sliger born abt. 1845 in Cumberland Valley Township, Bedford County, PA. She appears for the first time in the 1850 census at the age of 5 as Christiana Dickens but from searching, I believe that her name should be Christina Sliger, and that the census taker just listed her last name as that of the family she was living with. She is found in 1850 living with Moses Dicken (spelled Dickens in this census) and Elizabeth (Brill) Dicken and their son, Moses Jr. She then appears in the 1860 census, also living with Moses and Elizabeth (Brill) Dicken (spelled Dickin), but this time she is listed as Christina Sliger...and there is now a John Wigfield (I have yet to identify him) living with them, who is listed as "Farm Laborer".

I believe that Moses and Elizabeth (Brill) Dicken are Christina's grandparents...and on one of the family trees on ancestry.com, Christina is listed as the child of Frederick Sliger and Rebecca (Dicken) Sliger. Rebecca (Dicken) Sliger died in 1845...which would make it plausible that as a baby, Christina would be sent to live with her grandparents. However, there is no mention anywhere I can find, that Frederick Sliger and Rebecca had more than 1 daughter, and that daughter is listed as Ellen Katherine Sliger, born in 1842 who later married Francis Marion Elliott. Since Moses and Elizabeth (Brill) Dicken had many children, it is also possible that Christina is a child of one of those children (she is not listed as one, though)...or that she is simply someone entirely different.

If there is anyone out there than can help me understand this puzzle, I would greatly appreciate it.