Officers in New England corresponding to aldermen. See Notes and Queries, 9 S. iv. 169, 238, 311.
1685. “At a meeting of the Selectmen, the 6th November 1685, Agreed, with respect to the Rev. Mr. Cobbet’s funeral, &c.”—‘Records of Ipswich,’ Mass., i. 108: Mass. Yeoman, March 10, 1824.
1764. The Select Men have not given this liberty.—Boston Evening Post, Feb. 6.
1766. The Selectmen met in the Afternoon at Faneuil Hall.—Id., May 26.
1774. He was ordered by the Selectmen round to the ferry.—Id., April 11.
1784. [They wished it] to be carried on the shoulders of Select-Men.—Maryland Journal, Dec. 21.
1812. He saw four Sailors who voted twice each, and the Selectmen never objected, nor stopped any one of them.—Boston-Gazette, Aug. 10.
1817. The name of the elegant new street heretofore called Cheapside has been altered to Market Street, by consent of the Selectmen.—Boston Weekly Messenger, June 26.
1821. [In Connecticut], the inhabitants [of each town] choose, not exceeding seven men, inhabitants, able, discreet and of good conversation, to be Select-men, or Townsmen, to take care of the order, and prudential affairs, of the town.—T. Dwight, ‘Travels,’ i. 243 (New Haven, Conn.). (Italics in the original.)
1826. I considered Moses an unsafe man to be at large, and I advised his father to complain of him to the Selectmen.—Mass. Spy, Oct. 11.
1857. She rejoined us, accompanied by Elder Pierson and Brothers Davis and Allen; who filled the offices respectively of carpenter, blacksmith, and postmaster; and who were at that time in the full exercise of the important functions of selectmen of the village.—Knick. Mag., l. 237 (Sept.). (Italics in the original.)
