Wrightstown's first settler was John Chapman, who emigrated from England in October 1684, with his wife and children and settled on land which was part of the original William Penn Grant. According to legend, they first lived in a "cave" or "sod hut", probably on what is now Penns Park Road. Twin boys were born in their dwelling during the first winter, originating a long life of descendants, among whom was Henry Chapman Mercer. Although the first dwelling no longer exists, there are seven houses in the Township which were the homes of second and third generation Chapmans. William Smith, who arrived the year after the Chapmans, built a log house which still stands on Mud Road. In addition to the Smith house, there are 140 other houses in the Township which are at least 100 years old.

The boundaries of the Township were established by 1692. A square mile in the center, in the present Penns Park, was reserved for parkland. However, in 1719, this was divided among the surrounding property owners.

In addition to its basically rural character, much of the Wrightstown Township's charm is due to its five villages: Penns Park, Pineville, Rushland, Wrightstown and Wycombe. Each village at one time contained its own post office, a rather unique facet of life in the Township. Today, all but the Wrightstown Post Office remain, with home delivery available to approximately 50% of the Township through the Newtown Post Office. The villages of Penns Park and Wycombe are registered as Historic Villages on the National Register of Historic Places.