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History
Southampton Township was established originally from portions of Lurgan and Hopewell Townships in October of 1783. It was created upon the complaints of settlers, who argued that the existing township, Hopewell and Lurgan, were too long, extending from the North to the South Mountains at a distance of about 15 miles. The next year in September of 1784, Franklin County was formed out of Cumberland County and divided Southampton Township into two parts.
Three villages were established in the Cumberland County section of Southampton Township. Leesburg was populated four miles east of Shippensburg by Scotch-Irish families. The town was named after George Lee, who ran a tavern in a log house which stood on the South side of what is now the Walnut Bottom Rd.
Cleversburg was formed around 1860 just South of the center of the Township, about one mile from the South Mountains. It was named in honor of George Clever, upon whose land it was established.
Middle Spring was inhabited about two miles north of Shippensburg and it's named for the spring and the old church that is located there.
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