Honorable Edward Shippen, First Elected Mayor of Philadelphia

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Edward Shippen ( born 1639, Hillham, Cheshire, England – died August 1712, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was the second mayor of Philadelphia. He was appointed to a one year term by William Penn in 1701. In 1702, he was elected to a second one year term, making him the first elected mayor of Philadelphia. From that point, mayors were elected to one year terms, until 1887, when the current term of four years was established. He was also a leader of the Province of Pennsylvania, and served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1699.

He first lived in Boston, where, according to family oral history, he was whipped for being a Quaker before being invited by William Penn to move his merchant business to the new city of Philadelphia.

Family

Shippen's grandson was Continental Congressman William Shippen. His granddaughter was the wife of Philadelphia Mayor Charles Willing, whose daughter was Mary Willing Byrd. Another grandson Edward Shippen (II), was also a mayor of Philadelphia. Shippen's great-great-granddaughter was Peggy Shippen, wife of Benedict Arnold.