Daily AncestorDeacon
A deacon is a church officer: an ordained minister below a priest in Episcopal, Catholic and Methodist churches, a chosen member in Baptist and Presbyterian ones.
The meaning depends on the church. In Episcopal, Catholic and Methodist churches a deacon is ordained, often on the way to becoming a priest or elder. In Baptist and Presbyterian congregations deacons are members, not the minister, chosen to care for the poor and the church's practical affairs.
A record or gravestone that calls a man Deacon is usually giving his church office as a title of respect, not an occupation.
As seen in a recordNew England gravestone or church record, 1700s to 1800s
Dea. Josiah Phelps, aged 72
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Deacon." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/church/deacon. Last checked 2026-10-03.