shadowolf
10-03-2008, 06:46 PM
THE BELL WITCH–AN AMERICAN HAUNTING
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pImages/weirdusa/TN03_01.jpg
By Pat Fitzhugh
The frightening events that occurred in Tennessee’s Red River settlement nearly two centuries ago are supported by public records, church records, and manuscripts penned by eyewitnesses--farmers, doctors, clergymen, and others. This is their story.
North Carolina planters John and Lucy Bell moved their family to Tennessee in 1804, settling in a two-story log house near present-day Adams. The family’s successful farm and strong religious convictions gave them prominence in the community and a sense of happiness and accomplishment at home. The family grew, more land was bought, and more fields were cleared. Things would eventually change, however.
While inspecting a cornfield, John Bell encountered a strange-looking animal and shot at it--the creature vanished. Thinking it was mix-bred dog, he soon forgot about the incident. But, as it would turn out, that fall morning in 1817 marked the beginning of a malevolent reign of terror that would seize and hold Bell’s family in its sinister grasp for years and change their lives forever.
They soon began hearing raps on the walls, almost nightly. No culprit was found. The children began complaining of rats gnawing at their bedposts and their bedcovers being slowly pulled away. If they resisted, a seemingly invisible hand slapped them, leaving visible welts and handprints. The following weeks brought sounds of dogs scratching the floor, stones hitting the roof, and chains being pulled through the hallways late at night. Again, no culprit could be found.
The youngest daughter, Betsy, became the target of intense physical abuse. Her hair was pulled; her face was slapped relentlessly; and her body often bore bruises and claw marks. Trance-like episodes often followed, culminating with her vomiting needles. The family of the twelve-year-old could only pray while she lay helpless. These episodes were often followed by noises and jolts in other parts of the house. The Bells were experiencing something far beyond their grasp--and they knew it.
Fearing obvious religious repercussions, John Bell swore his family to secrecy while trying to gain a better understanding of the “trouble.” Curious if the entity possessed intelligence, Bell asked, “How many miles to Port Royal?” Seven raps were heard. “How many horses are in the barn?” Betsy’s face was slapped nine times. The entity’s persona developed over time and its malevolence grew to encompass the entire family.
John Bell began experiencing frequent choking episodes and sometimes complained of needles sticking him in the back. Drewry Bell’s chair was kicked away when he sat to read, and John, Jr. began noticing strange animals in the forest. Betsy and her younger brothers began seeing a strange woman walking about the orchard each morning and, on one occasion, hanging lifeless from a tree. The cold nights of winter brought apparitions of candles dancing in the fields as melancholy whispers filled the house.
By early 1818, the whispers had evolved into low-pitched musical tones that often “spoke” in reverse speech. Overwhelmed, John Bell decided to confide in is best friend, James Johnston, for guidance. Johnston listened carefully but dismissed Bell’s story as a hoax being staged by the children and agreed to prove it by spending the night.
A deluge of disembodied voices soon proved Johnston wrong. Terrified, he sprang from his bed and exclaimed, “In the name of the Lord, who are you and why are you here!” No answer was given, and the rest of the night proved uneventful. The following morning, he told Bell it was “a spirit, just like in the Bible!”and that clergymen should investigate. They tried forming a secret investigative committee, but word inevitably spread and the farm soon became a haven for believers and skeptics alike.
Some felt the events were staged for profit; others believed they were of supernatural origin. While most were spared from torture, everyone heard the eerie noises and sinister voices. Word inevitably spread to the church, where John Bell was promptly excommunicated for the sin of “covetousness,” which arose (supposedly) from an unrelated incident. The entity’s voice continued to develop strength and articulation, finally reaching a point where it could be understood.
It enjoyed religious debate and poking fun at preachers. It once recited, word-for-word and using the preachers’ own voices, two sermons that occurred simultaneously--thirteen miles apart. Both preachers were present when this demonstration occurred, and each confirmed its correctness. One asked about the entity’s origin and it exclaimed, “I am Ol’ Kate Batts' witch, here to torment Ol’ John Bell to his grave and straight into hell!"
Mrs. Batts was a large, eccentric woman who lived about mile from the Bells. She was often ridiculed about her spiteful disposition and eerie ways, which had led many to suspect involvement with the occult. The entity’s latest claim made perfect fodder. Some suspected that Mrs. Batts practiced “Black Magic” against the Bells, possibly in collusion with Professor Richard Powell, a schoolmaster known to secretly patronize her on occasion. People began calling the entity “Kate,” a name to which it readily answered seemed fond of.
The entity assimilated four distinct characters and commenced a series of disturbances more terrifying than before. Kate’s “witch family,” as she called them, brought new voices and terror to the Bell home. "Blackdog" spoke in a raspy, feminine tone and left no question as to who was in charge. "Mathematics" and “Cypocryphy" spoke like young girls, and "Jerusalem" sounded like a little boy. The drunken "witch family" visited nightly, singing out of key, arguing with each other, yelling obscenities at the Bells, and proliferating the smell of whiskey throughout the house.
The “witch family” demonstrations soon ended, but Kate remained. She seemed fond of Lucy Bell, singing hymns and comforting her when she was sick. She spoke highly of both the Johnston family and William Porter, a young bachelor who once found her disguised as a snake under his bedcovers. These people firmly believed in her existence. Skeptics, on the other hand, were met with hostility. One such person was Major General Andrew Jackson, who decided to pay a visit after hearing of the disturbances.
As they neared the property, Jackson and his entourage heard what sounded like the cries of an old woman coming from deep in the forest. The horses spooked and a feeble voice proclaimed, “You can go now, General. I will see you tonight.” The entourage finally reached the Bell home where, that evening, one of the men claimed to be a “witch killer.” An invisible force instantly slapped him, kicked in the posterior, and pulled him out the front door by his nose. Kate said that Jackson’s party had yet another fraud and that she would expose him the following night.
Jackson’s entourage left early the next morning, never to return. Jackson, who later said, “I'd rather fight the British at New Orleans than deal with the Bell Witch,” became President of the United States several years later. John Bell’s health continued to decline. He experienced frequent episodes of seizures and convulsions, and became weaker each day. Kate was overjoyed.
One overcast morning, Bell and his youngest son were walking across a field when Kate began tripping him and removing his shoes. A faint, disembodied whisper filled the air, “Your place is in hell, Ol’ John Bell.” While walking back to the house, John Bell experienced a violent seizure and lay helpless as his young son said a prayer. Disembodied voices began reciting biblical passages and screaming the word, “Legion.” He eventually made it home and took to his bed, never to leave again. He died on December 20, 1820.
The family found a vial of strange liquid by his side. John, Jr. tested it by placing a drop on the cat’s tongue. It jumped and spun around, then died before hitting the floor. Kate interjected, “I gave Ol’ John a dose last night, and it fixed him!” The vial was thrown into the fireplace, where it quickly ignited and shot up the chimney. Kate laughed and sang about a bottle of brandy as the large crowd dispersed from Bell’s funeral. Although her mission seemed complete, Kate had another matter to address--Betsy Bell’s engagement to Joshua Gardner.
Betsy was forced to endure Kate’s relentless pleas. "Oh Betsy Bell, don't marry Joshua Gardner; it’s wrong. I won’t tell you why, but future generations will see it true," she pleaded. This finally took its toll and Betsy ended the engagement, and Kate finally seemed happy. Betsy was later courted by Richard Powell, her former schoolteacher who had previously expressed a fondness for her. They later married. Kate bade farewell to Lucy Bell and the children in late 1821, promising to return in seven years.
She returned briefly in 1828, promising to visit John Bell's closest descendant in 107 years. It turned out to be Dr. Charles Bell, a Nashville physician who wrote a book about Kate one year before her promised return visit. No follow-up was published. Did Kate return in 1935, or did she ever leave to begin with?
The Red River area boasts much unexplained activity today. Strange voices have been heard; photographic anomalies are common; animals sometimes act strangely; and on cold nights, strange “candles” can sometimes be seen dancing in the fog-laden fields and forests--just as they did in the days of John Bell, nearly two centuries ago.
Who or what was, or is, “Kate?” This author feels that Kate herself gave the best answer:
“I am everywhere. I am in the wind and the forest. I am in your house and fields. I am in the water you drink and the air you breathe.”
There is more to this epic tale of terror on the American frontier than meets the eye--MUCH more. The events that took place in the Red River settlement remain a mystery. Something was wrong, and undoubtedly still is. Should the sinister, malevolent entity that terrorized John Bell’s family return in full force today, whose family might it choose to destroy this time?
Pat Fitzhugh is the author of two books on the Bell Witch: The Bell Witch: The Full Account and The Bell Witch Haunting, both released by Armand Press. They are available through his website, www.bellwitch.org (http://www.bellwitch.org/). He is a resident of Nashville, Tennessee.
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pImages/weirdusa/TN03_01.jpg
By Pat Fitzhugh
The frightening events that occurred in Tennessee’s Red River settlement nearly two centuries ago are supported by public records, church records, and manuscripts penned by eyewitnesses--farmers, doctors, clergymen, and others. This is their story.
North Carolina planters John and Lucy Bell moved their family to Tennessee in 1804, settling in a two-story log house near present-day Adams. The family’s successful farm and strong religious convictions gave them prominence in the community and a sense of happiness and accomplishment at home. The family grew, more land was bought, and more fields were cleared. Things would eventually change, however.
While inspecting a cornfield, John Bell encountered a strange-looking animal and shot at it--the creature vanished. Thinking it was mix-bred dog, he soon forgot about the incident. But, as it would turn out, that fall morning in 1817 marked the beginning of a malevolent reign of terror that would seize and hold Bell’s family in its sinister grasp for years and change their lives forever.
They soon began hearing raps on the walls, almost nightly. No culprit was found. The children began complaining of rats gnawing at their bedposts and their bedcovers being slowly pulled away. If they resisted, a seemingly invisible hand slapped them, leaving visible welts and handprints. The following weeks brought sounds of dogs scratching the floor, stones hitting the roof, and chains being pulled through the hallways late at night. Again, no culprit could be found.
The youngest daughter, Betsy, became the target of intense physical abuse. Her hair was pulled; her face was slapped relentlessly; and her body often bore bruises and claw marks. Trance-like episodes often followed, culminating with her vomiting needles. The family of the twelve-year-old could only pray while she lay helpless. These episodes were often followed by noises and jolts in other parts of the house. The Bells were experiencing something far beyond their grasp--and they knew it.
Fearing obvious religious repercussions, John Bell swore his family to secrecy while trying to gain a better understanding of the “trouble.” Curious if the entity possessed intelligence, Bell asked, “How many miles to Port Royal?” Seven raps were heard. “How many horses are in the barn?” Betsy’s face was slapped nine times. The entity’s persona developed over time and its malevolence grew to encompass the entire family.
John Bell began experiencing frequent choking episodes and sometimes complained of needles sticking him in the back. Drewry Bell’s chair was kicked away when he sat to read, and John, Jr. began noticing strange animals in the forest. Betsy and her younger brothers began seeing a strange woman walking about the orchard each morning and, on one occasion, hanging lifeless from a tree. The cold nights of winter brought apparitions of candles dancing in the fields as melancholy whispers filled the house.
By early 1818, the whispers had evolved into low-pitched musical tones that often “spoke” in reverse speech. Overwhelmed, John Bell decided to confide in is best friend, James Johnston, for guidance. Johnston listened carefully but dismissed Bell’s story as a hoax being staged by the children and agreed to prove it by spending the night.
A deluge of disembodied voices soon proved Johnston wrong. Terrified, he sprang from his bed and exclaimed, “In the name of the Lord, who are you and why are you here!” No answer was given, and the rest of the night proved uneventful. The following morning, he told Bell it was “a spirit, just like in the Bible!”and that clergymen should investigate. They tried forming a secret investigative committee, but word inevitably spread and the farm soon became a haven for believers and skeptics alike.
Some felt the events were staged for profit; others believed they were of supernatural origin. While most were spared from torture, everyone heard the eerie noises and sinister voices. Word inevitably spread to the church, where John Bell was promptly excommunicated for the sin of “covetousness,” which arose (supposedly) from an unrelated incident. The entity’s voice continued to develop strength and articulation, finally reaching a point where it could be understood.
It enjoyed religious debate and poking fun at preachers. It once recited, word-for-word and using the preachers’ own voices, two sermons that occurred simultaneously--thirteen miles apart. Both preachers were present when this demonstration occurred, and each confirmed its correctness. One asked about the entity’s origin and it exclaimed, “I am Ol’ Kate Batts' witch, here to torment Ol’ John Bell to his grave and straight into hell!"
Mrs. Batts was a large, eccentric woman who lived about mile from the Bells. She was often ridiculed about her spiteful disposition and eerie ways, which had led many to suspect involvement with the occult. The entity’s latest claim made perfect fodder. Some suspected that Mrs. Batts practiced “Black Magic” against the Bells, possibly in collusion with Professor Richard Powell, a schoolmaster known to secretly patronize her on occasion. People began calling the entity “Kate,” a name to which it readily answered seemed fond of.
The entity assimilated four distinct characters and commenced a series of disturbances more terrifying than before. Kate’s “witch family,” as she called them, brought new voices and terror to the Bell home. "Blackdog" spoke in a raspy, feminine tone and left no question as to who was in charge. "Mathematics" and “Cypocryphy" spoke like young girls, and "Jerusalem" sounded like a little boy. The drunken "witch family" visited nightly, singing out of key, arguing with each other, yelling obscenities at the Bells, and proliferating the smell of whiskey throughout the house.
The “witch family” demonstrations soon ended, but Kate remained. She seemed fond of Lucy Bell, singing hymns and comforting her when she was sick. She spoke highly of both the Johnston family and William Porter, a young bachelor who once found her disguised as a snake under his bedcovers. These people firmly believed in her existence. Skeptics, on the other hand, were met with hostility. One such person was Major General Andrew Jackson, who decided to pay a visit after hearing of the disturbances.
As they neared the property, Jackson and his entourage heard what sounded like the cries of an old woman coming from deep in the forest. The horses spooked and a feeble voice proclaimed, “You can go now, General. I will see you tonight.” The entourage finally reached the Bell home where, that evening, one of the men claimed to be a “witch killer.” An invisible force instantly slapped him, kicked in the posterior, and pulled him out the front door by his nose. Kate said that Jackson’s party had yet another fraud and that she would expose him the following night.
Jackson’s entourage left early the next morning, never to return. Jackson, who later said, “I'd rather fight the British at New Orleans than deal with the Bell Witch,” became President of the United States several years later. John Bell’s health continued to decline. He experienced frequent episodes of seizures and convulsions, and became weaker each day. Kate was overjoyed.
One overcast morning, Bell and his youngest son were walking across a field when Kate began tripping him and removing his shoes. A faint, disembodied whisper filled the air, “Your place is in hell, Ol’ John Bell.” While walking back to the house, John Bell experienced a violent seizure and lay helpless as his young son said a prayer. Disembodied voices began reciting biblical passages and screaming the word, “Legion.” He eventually made it home and took to his bed, never to leave again. He died on December 20, 1820.
The family found a vial of strange liquid by his side. John, Jr. tested it by placing a drop on the cat’s tongue. It jumped and spun around, then died before hitting the floor. Kate interjected, “I gave Ol’ John a dose last night, and it fixed him!” The vial was thrown into the fireplace, where it quickly ignited and shot up the chimney. Kate laughed and sang about a bottle of brandy as the large crowd dispersed from Bell’s funeral. Although her mission seemed complete, Kate had another matter to address--Betsy Bell’s engagement to Joshua Gardner.
Betsy was forced to endure Kate’s relentless pleas. "Oh Betsy Bell, don't marry Joshua Gardner; it’s wrong. I won’t tell you why, but future generations will see it true," she pleaded. This finally took its toll and Betsy ended the engagement, and Kate finally seemed happy. Betsy was later courted by Richard Powell, her former schoolteacher who had previously expressed a fondness for her. They later married. Kate bade farewell to Lucy Bell and the children in late 1821, promising to return in seven years.
She returned briefly in 1828, promising to visit John Bell's closest descendant in 107 years. It turned out to be Dr. Charles Bell, a Nashville physician who wrote a book about Kate one year before her promised return visit. No follow-up was published. Did Kate return in 1935, or did she ever leave to begin with?
The Red River area boasts much unexplained activity today. Strange voices have been heard; photographic anomalies are common; animals sometimes act strangely; and on cold nights, strange “candles” can sometimes be seen dancing in the fog-laden fields and forests--just as they did in the days of John Bell, nearly two centuries ago.
Who or what was, or is, “Kate?” This author feels that Kate herself gave the best answer:
“I am everywhere. I am in the wind and the forest. I am in your house and fields. I am in the water you drink and the air you breathe.”
There is more to this epic tale of terror on the American frontier than meets the eye--MUCH more. The events that took place in the Red River settlement remain a mystery. Something was wrong, and undoubtedly still is. Should the sinister, malevolent entity that terrorized John Bell’s family return in full force today, whose family might it choose to destroy this time?
Pat Fitzhugh is the author of two books on the Bell Witch: The Bell Witch: The Full Account and The Bell Witch Haunting, both released by Armand Press. They are available through his website, www.bellwitch.org (http://www.bellwitch.org/). He is a resident of Nashville, Tennessee.