[3] The township was organized on April 14, 1888, and named after John Chassell, a prominent businessman and farmer whose farmland became the site of the community of Chassell.

At the 2000 census,[1] there were 1,822 people, 728 households and 505 families residing in the township.

There were 955 housing units at an average density of 19.6 per square mile (7.6/km2).

There were 728 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families.

26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.