The Bell Witch of Tennessee

The Bell Witch haunting is considered one of the most well-documented and disturbing cases in American paranormal history. Between 1817 and 1821, the Bell family of Robertson County, Tennessee, was tormented by an entity that displayed intelligence, malevolence, and physical power beyond anything in typical ghost accounts. The haunting allegedly killed John Bell Sr., making it one of the only cases where a ghost is credited with causing a death.

The Bell Family

John Bell Sr. was a prosperous farmer who had moved from North Carolina to Tennessee with his wife Lucy and their nine children. They established a successful farm in the Red River settlement, respected by their community and active in their church.

In 1817, John Bell encountered a strange animal on his property—something like a dog, but unlike any dog he had ever seen. He shot at it, but it vanished. Shortly afterward, the disturbances began.

The Haunting Begins

The phenomena started with knocking and scratching sounds on the walls of the Bell home. The family heard what sounded like rats gnawing, chains dragging, and dogs fighting. When they investigated, they found nothing.

The sounds evolved into more direct attacks. The Bell children reported having their blankets pulled off, their hair yanked, and being slapped by invisible hands. The attacks focused particularly on Betsy Bell, the youngest daughter, who was pinched, scratched, and struck.

Then the entity found its voice.

The Witch Speaks

The Bell Witch, as it came to be known, developed the ability to speak. It began with faint whispers and grew to a loud, clear voice that could carry on conversations. The entity claimed various identities—a witch from North Carolina, an Indian spirit, four different beings—but eventually settled on calling itself “Kate.”

Kate proved to be intelligent, informed, and malicious. She knew details about neighbors’ lives, could quote Scripture, and could converse on various topics. She particularly hated John Bell Sr., whom she had vowed to torment and kill.

Public Knowledge

Word of the haunting spread throughout Robertson County and beyond. Neighbors came to investigate and witnessed the phenomena themselves. The Bell Witch would speak to visitors, answer questions, and sometimes perform tricks for their entertainment.

Most famously, General Andrew Jackson—future president of the United States—reportedly visited the Bell farm in 1819. According to legend, Jackson’s wagon stopped inexplicably before reaching the property, and the Witch’s voice was heard promising to show herself that evening. Jackson reportedly fled the next morning, allegedly declaring he would rather fight the British than face the Bell Witch.

John Bell’s Death

The Bell Witch made clear from the beginning that she intended to kill John Bell. Throughout the haunting, Bell suffered from a mysterious affliction—swelling of his tongue and face, difficulty swallowing, and seizures. The Witch claimed responsibility for these symptoms.

On December 20, 1820, John Bell died. By his bed was a vial of dark liquid that no one in the family recognized. The Witch reportedly claimed to have given it to Bell, and when the vial was tested on a cat, the cat died.

John Bell is one of the only documented cases where a death was attributed to supernatural activity. Whether he died of natural causes that the Witch took credit for, of poison administered by a human agent, or of genuine supernatural murder remains unknown.

Aftermath

After John Bell’s death, the haunting subsided. The Witch reportedly announced her departure, promising to return in seven years. She allegedly did return briefly in 1828, speaking with John Bell Jr. about the future, then departed again, promising to return in 107 years.

Whether she returned in 1935 depends on whom you ask. Reports of phenomena on and around the former Bell property continue to the present day. The Bell Witch Cave, a tourist attraction on the former Bell land, claims ongoing paranormal activity.

Assessment

The Bell Witch case rests on historical accounts compiled years after the events, making verification difficult. The primary source is “An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch,” written in 1894 by Martin Van Buren Ingram, based on earlier documents and interviews with surviving witnesses.

Whether the Bell Witch was a genuine supernatural entity, a hoax perpetrated by family members or neighbors, mass hysteria in a close-knit community, or something else entirely cannot be determined at this distance. What is certain is that the legend has endured for over two hundred years, making the Bell Witch the most famous haunting in American history.