◊The Bell Witch◊
The malicious entity that plagued a Tennessee farmhouse in 1817 ended in the only known murder by a poltergeist. The problems began when John Bell saw a strange animal in his cornfield dissolve into thin air. Soon, the family heard scratching at the doors and windows, then gnawing sounds started coming from inside the house. Within a year, the presence began speaking and threatened to kill John. The fame of the "Bell Witch" spread, and even Andrew Jackson came to dispel the spirit. Nothing worked. John Bell was beaten so mercilessly by the presence that his tongue swelled and he could barely eat. A doctor prescribed a tonic, but the witch bragged it poisoned it. "I've got him this time," it bellowed, "He’ll never get up." John went into a coma and died on December 21, 1820. Then, the witch promised to return to wreck havoc on John’s descendents, and it plagued the Bell family again in 1827, 1852, 1861, 1935, 1977, and 1988. Today, the apparition of a demon woman and eerie balls of light are seen gliding over the Bell farm, and the so-called Bell Witch Cave near the family cemetery is haunted by chains rattling and inhuman screams. See more details on the Bell Witch case at the official Bell Witch website. A new Bell Witch DVD is available that chronicles the entire case.
Located in sleepy Adams, Tennessee is the former location of the John Bell Farm, one of the most famous haunted spots in American History. This sinister case involved spectral creatures, disembodied voices, poltergeist activity and even resulted in the death of John Bell. . .all at the hands of the infamous Bell Witch.The Bell Witch Haunting is one of the strangest and most well-documented hauntings in American history, and for good reason. It stands out in several areas of paranormal research, and includes many features not ordinarily present in classic haunting activity. As such, this particular haunting deserves a very close look by anyone serious about seeking out and visiting haunted places.
Blankets were pulled from beds, family members were kicked and scratched and their hair pulled. Particularly tormented was a 12-year-old Betsy Bell, who was slapped, pinched, bruised and stuck with pins. At first, John Bell was determined to keep the events secret, but soon confided in a friend , who then formed an investigative committee. John Bell's friends soon learned that the strange force in the house had an eerie intelligence. It soon found a voice and from that day on. . .was seldom silent.
The spirit identified itself as the "witch" of Kate Batts, a neighbors of the Bell's, with whom John had experienced bad business dealings over some purchased slaves. "Kate" as the local people began calling her, made daily appearances in the Bell home, wreaking havoc on everyone there. People all over the area of soon learned of the witch and she made appearances, in sounds and voices, all over Robertson County.
The ghost became so famous that even General Andrew Jackson decided to visit. He too experienced the antics of the witch and his carriage wheels refused to turn until the witch decided to let them.
John Bell fell victim to bouts of strange illness, to which "Kate" claimed responsibility. While he was sick in bed, the spirit cursed and prodded him, never allowing him to rest. One day, he went to bed and never recovered. He was found senseless in his bed one morning and a strange bottle was found nearby. Bell's breath smelled of the black liquid in the bottle, so a drop of it was placed on the tongue of a cat. . .the animal dropped dead. John Bell soon followed suit and "Kate" screamed in triumph. She even made her presence known at his funeral, laughing, cursing and singing as the poor man was buried.
"Kate" didn't vanish immediately after the death of her proclaimed enemy though. She stayed around, threatening Betsy Bell to not marry the man that she truly loved, Joshua Gardner. The witch would never say why, but she did allow the girl to later marry the local schoolteacher, Richard Powell. "Kate" soon left the family but promised to return in seven years. She did come back and plagued the family again for two weeks. Before departing, she appeared at the home of John Bell Jr. and made a number of predictions that Bell recorded. The warning proved true, reflecting the Civil War and the later World Wars of the next century. "Kate" said that she would return again 107 years later, in 1935, but the year came and went without incident.
Who was the Bell Witch? Was she really a ghost, who claimed to be connected to a living person? Or did the resentment and the hatred of the real Kate Batts create an entity of it's own? Or could the haunting have been poltergeist activity linked to Betsy Bell? No one will ever know for sure. . .but whoever, or whatever, the Bell Witch was, many believe that she has never left Adams, Tennessee at all.
Written by my friend Kat (who is the owner and webmanager for A Mommy's World) go check out her site www.a-mommys-world.com
