The largest town in the township is Rose Creek with a population of 354 people.

Sylvester Davis, the first settler in the township, came to section 20 in the spring of 1855 and built a more permanent dwelling later that fall.

In 1862 the state legislature told the township to change its name because another town had prior claim to it.

In May 1862 the township was named in honor of Senator William Windom of Winona.

[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93.3 km2), all land.