Brownstown Township is located in the southeast part of Wayne County, and is bounded on the east, by Riverview, and Woodhaven, on the south by Flat Rock and a portion of Woodhaven, on the west by Huron Township, and on the north by Taylor. It is about 20 miles from the City of Detroit. The portion lying to the east was settled at an early period, probably because of its location near the Detroit River. In 1806, a Native American Council was held here by General Hull, then Governor of the Territory.
The township was organized on April 5, 1827, when Moses Roberts was elected township Supervisor; Elias Vreeland, William Fletcher and Isaac Taylor, Commissioners of Highways; Freeman Bass, Pound Master; James Vreeland, Town Clerk; Jacob Knox, William Hazard and David Smith, Assessors; Arthur Ruark and Garret Vreeland, Directors of the Poor, Isaac Taylor, Constable and Collector; George C. Clark and Isaac Taylor, Overseers of Highways, and Hiram Hecox, Clode Campau, William Fletcher, Isaac Thurston, John Conrad and Thomas Long, Fence Viewers.
Some of the early settlers in this area were B.F. Knapp, George C. Clark, William Munger, John Forbes, Michael Vreeland, R. Ransom, Colonel Nathaniel Case, Henry Woodruff, Dr John Leteur, and P.T. Clark.
The Huron Riveralso bounds the township on the south; the land is level, and composed of several varieties of soil, such as clay, sand, loam, and gravel. It was general productive, and afforded a large number of springs of water, as well as numerous wells. A stone quarry was opened here on land belonging to W. Littlefield.
There were two prominent business areas here, one was Flat Rock and the other Gibraltar; both are now townships of there own. Several industrial establishments started here, two large flouring mills, several mercantile businesses, and a water power facility. Prominent among business men, was W.S. Morey.
There were originally 3 Churches here: Methodist Episcopal, Congregational, and Baptist, now almost every denomination is represented.
Gibraltar with its harbor and shipyard also brought several other business establishments. Along with the Canada Southern Railroad which passes through the township running from Detroit to Toledo.
