Sacristan, an official attached to a church who is charged with the care of it, and in particular of the sacred vestments and utensils. These are kept in the sacristy, or vestry, which in continental churches is often a spacious building.—The English name sexton is an early corruption of this word.
Sacristan
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 9: Bound to Swansea, p. 67
Source scan(s): p. 0078