Daily AncestorSelectman
A selectman was one of a small elected board that ran the day-to-day affairs of a New England town.
Most New England towns elected three or five selectmen each year at town meeting. They handled town business between meetings: roads, taxes, the poor, licenses and much more.
Town records list selectmen year by year and their signatures appear on many documents. Holding the office suggests a man of some standing in the town.
As seen in a recordNew England town meeting records
Chosen for selectmen: Jno. Ward, Saml. Hill, Asa Ely
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Selectman." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/selectman. Last checked 2026-10-01.