A town clerk was an important official in ancient city governments. This person had the job of writing down and announcing the decisions made by city leaders. The town clerk also helped communicate between the city and the Roman government.
In Ephesus, the town clerk helped calm an angry crowd that had gathered because of Paul's teaching (Acts 19:35). The town clerk had the power to punish people who caused trouble in the city. Fortunately, he was able to quiet the crowd and prevent further problems.