[5] In 1620, John Howland landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts aboard the Mayflower.

A descendant of his, Joseph Howland, purchased the township from the Connecticut Land Company in 1795.

The township was sparsely populated until 1953, when the Clifton-Hyde housing development was built.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 19,451 people, 7,916 households, and 5,661 families residing in the township.

The racial makeup of the township was 88.36% White, 10.09% African American, 0.47% Native American, 1.67% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races.

25.49% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.79% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1.