The township was named for Major Joseph Hamilton Daveiss (1774–1811), who was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 281 people, 107 households, and 78 families residing in the township.

There were 118 housing units at an average density of 3.3 per square mile (1.3/km2).

24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

About 11.7% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 5.6% of those 65 or over.