Whether you’re interested in caves, witches, ghosts, or horror movies, there’s a good chance you’ve stumbled upon the story of the Bell Witch.
Robertson County, Tennessee. Red River. Early 1800s.
John Bell Sr. lived here with his family on a 300+ acreage farm. It was in 1817 when the haunting began, and John saw his first apparition. The incidents continued from there, worsening over time.
Here are some of the events that occurred:
- apparition of a creature similar to a dog
- unusually large birds
- a child swinging from a tree limb
- knocking on the walls and doors
- sounds of invisible dogs fighting and rats gnawing on furniture
- chains being dragged along the floor
- bed covers being ripped away
- sudden paralysis that caused difficulty eating for a year
- voices shouting threats
The phenomena eventually turned more violent. The children would have their hair pulled. They would be scratched, slapped, or pinched. The torture was too much to bear. Engagements were called off. Friends were invited over, who experienced similar events. There was no rhyme or reason to why things were happening. No one could determine an explanation.
It was John Bell, though, that seemed to catch the worse of it. He was the one that struggled to eat and often the one that was the target of threats. He began having seizures, and in 1820, he passed away after slipping into a coma. His funeral was one of the largest held in the county. Sadly, even then, the entity could be heard laughing and singing, having its own celebration.
Author’s Opinion:
This story has always fascinated me. There’s a lot that surrounds the history of the Bell Witch. Personally, I enjoyed the depiction in The American Haunting (movie). It painted a sweet picture of the family before all hell broke loose from whatever it was that plagued them.
Whether this mysterious force be a spirit, a witch, or a made-up hallucination, the suffering the family endured is unimaginable. To this day, people visit the area in hopes of having their own experience.
Interesting Facts:
The Blair Witch Project (movie) was inspired by this story.
This legend is known as America’s Greatest Ghost Story, per Dr. Nandor Fodor.
The legend says that the witch gave favor to John’s wife, Lucy. It showed her kindness by leaving fresh fruit and singing hymns.
Andrew Jackson was intrigued by the story of the Bell Witch. So much so, that he, along with his group of men, visited the area. They, too, experienced some odd things like being stuck with invisible pins or even being beaten.
Not as often mentioned is the Bell Witch Cave, which is in this same area and was sometimes visited by the family. There aren’t many stories surrounding the cave, but it’s still a spot paranormal-enthusiasts like to frequent.
Sources:
wikipedia.com
bellwitch.org
Lore & Curiosities 