Shippen Township

Shippen Township was formed from Sergeant Township August 1812. It was laid out ten miles wide east and west, by sixteen miles north and south, being taken from the southeast corner of Sergeant Township and now constitutes what is known as Shippen Township in Cameron County, excepting a two warrants wide along the west side, which were added later.

This township was increased in size by the annexation of Cooper and Burlington Townships in 1817. These two townships were unpopulated so were added to Shippen until such time they should become legally organized. This was ordered by the May 1817 term of the Lycoming County Court and recorded at Smethport. Neither of these townships were ever organized, so both lost their identity at this time.

The western part, six miles square, of what had been Cooper Township, was taken from Shippen and annexed to Sergeant December 20, 1836.

Later, when Elk County was erected, April 18, 1843, most of what had been known as Burlington Township was included in the new county and eventually became Benzinger Township in Elk County.

No further changes were made in Shippen Township, but it became lost to McKean County, being included in Cameron County when the latter was erected March 29, 1860.

More details regarding the forming of this township may be found in the notes for Walker Township. These five townships were not in existence for any length of time, and some had no inhabitants. Additionally, they were formed very early in the County's existence. Therefore, if any researcher comes across mention of an ancestor in these areas they would be better served by checking the townships that these five were annexed to.