Daily AncestorElder
An elder is a church leader; in Presbyterian churches a lay member of the governing session, among Baptists often a title for the preacher.
Presbyterians are governed by elders: the pastor is a teaching elder and members elected to the session are ruling elders. Many Baptist and Primitive Baptist records call their preacher Elder, so Eld. Smith there usually means the minister. Methodists used elder for an ordained minister, and Quakers for respected members who oversaw worship.
Do not read elder as older brother. In church records it is an office or a title.
As seen in a recordBaptist church minutes, 1800s
Preaching by Eld. Wm. Cates; Bro. Amos Dyer received by letter
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Elder." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/church/elder. Last checked 2026-10-03.