Bell Witch | |
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A photo of the old Bell house | |
Background | |
Type | Haunting |
Continent | North America |
Country | United States |
One-Time? | No |
Theories | · Ghost · Witch's curse |
The Bell Witch, also known as the Bell Poltergeist or Kate Batts, was a deadly apparition that allegedly terrorized the 19th-century Bell family of Adams, Tennessee.
There have been several movies based, at least in part, on the Bell Witch legend, including The Blair Witch Project in 1999, Bell Witch Haunting in 2004, An American Haunting in 2005, Bell Witch: The Movie in 2007, and The Bell Witch Haunting in 2013.
Manifestations[]
- Sucking sounds
- Objects disappearing and reappearing in a new location
- Vicious attacks via slapping or scratching
- A disembodied voice
- Thrown objects
- Manifestation of objects from thin air
Background[]
John Bell Sr., who made his living as a farmer, resided with his family in Adams, Tennessee in the early 1800s. In 1817, his family came under attack by a witch, who was believed to be a woman named Kate Batts. Various accounts written afterward tell stories similar to other poltergeist legends. It began with noises in the walls and grew to include unusual sounds, people being slapped and pinched, objects being thrown, and animals being spooked without visible cause. The activity centered on the Bells' youngest daughter, Betsy, and worsened after she became engaged to one Joshua Gardner.
Several accounts report that during his military career, Andrew Jackson was intrigued with the story and was frightened away after traveling to investigate. Other stories relate that the family was haunted by scratching noises outside their door after Bell found a half-dog, half-rabbit creature. Some stories end up with Bell being poisoned by the witch. Accounts vary about the witch being someone who had been cheated by Bell or a male slave whom Bell had killed.
Notable Accounts[]
There are no notable accounts that we could find.
Trivia[]
- Seattle-based doom metal band Bell Witch took their name from this legend.
- The American television series Ghost Adventures filmed an episode at the Bell Witch Cave.