The devout settlers of New England were typically quick to build a church once a town was large enough to support a congregation. While this may have been true in many cases, Colebrook certainly took its time in constructing its church. The decision to build was made in 1780, but the first order of business—choosing the right location—proved more complicated than expected. In fact, it took fourteen years to settle on a site.
Disputes over church locations were common at the time, and Colebrook was no exception. A special committee from the County Court was appointed to decide where the church would stand. After a visit to Colebrook, the committee chose a spot on the hill north of Mill Brook (now known as Center Brook). The town then voted on the proposal. The town clerk’s records state: “Voted, that the town agree to the doings of the committee in setting a stake for a meeting house in said town by a majority of about two votes.”
However, this decision did not sit well with the residents on the south side of the brook. In fact, nearly a year and a half later, they called for a town meeting to petition the General Assembly to overturn the decision and appoint a new committee. This was necessary because the previous location had already been legally established. In a bid for peace, the northern faction eventually joined the southerners in requesting a new site. A second committee was formed and agreed to move the stake north of the brook, about thirty rods south of the original site. On December 23, 1782, the town voted to “proceed to do something towards building a meetinghouse.”
For a while, things seemed to be progressing smoothly. The town even began considering other aspects of the church, such as hiring a preacher and a singing master to teach the townspeople how to sing. A tax of one penny per pound was levied for this purpose.
But at the town meeting in October 1784, yet another request was made to the General Assembly for a new committee to set a site for the church. This marked the third time the assembly had been contacted about the matter. It seems likely that the General Assembly grew weary of these repeated petitions from Colebrook.
According to a manuscript by Reuben Rockwell, the southern residents had two main complaints. First, they didn’t like the location north of the brook, and second, they found the ground unsuitable for building a meetinghouse. Many preferred to move the church 30 rods further north to the original site. Though the northern faction wasn’t thrilled with the new location, they did not object, and preparations for the church’s construction continued.
However, as work began on the foundation and framing of the church, opposition from the southern residents flared up again. A meeting was called, and after much debate, it was decided to postpone construction. The lumber was stacked and secured for later use.
By now, the situation looked grim. The town seemed divided, its residents embroiled in endless disputes. Eventually, some suggested a simpler solution: a lottery to determine the church’s location. One site would be chosen for the north side of the brook, and another for the south side. Each side would draw lots to decide the winner.
The lottery was held, and the south side won. Work on the church proceeded, and it was soon raised, covered, and lit, with floors laid. But tensions persisted. According to Rockwell, many northerners refused to participate in the construction or support the congregation. Despite the new building, nearly half the town’s population refused to enter the church. When asked why, the northern faction claimed they only agreed to the lottery out of sportsmanship and now wanted the church moved back across the brook. To their surprise, some southerners also began to voice their regret over the location and expressed a desire to move the church to the north side.
In a desperate attempt to resolve the situation, the town decided to move the building. The plan was to relocate the church across the brook during the winter of 1794 with the help of oxen. About 150 pairs of oxen were enlisted, and the church began its slow journey. However, the task proved more difficult than anticipated. After two days of effort, the church had moved only about 30 rods (roughly 495 feet). The project was abandoned.
In the fall of 1794, another attempt was made to move the church using pulleys and ropes, but this too failed.
Frustrated by these failed efforts, the town finally came to a reluctant acceptance of the situation. The bitter disputes began to subside, and the church was given a permanent foundation at a site not far from where it had originally been placed.
Reuben Rockwell humorously summed up the resolution of the controversy: “The delusions of party feeling and obstinacy seemed in a measure to vanish,” and the town was finally at peace, its church standing at a location everyone could live with—at least for the time being.
