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An artist's etching of the Bell home, originally published in 1894

The Bell Witch is a ghost story from American Southern Folklore. The legend of the Bell Witch, also called the Bell Witch Haunting, revolves around strange events allegedly experienced by the Bell family of Adams, Tennessee, in 1817–1821. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... A ghost story may be any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or the belief of some character(s) in them. ... The folklore of the United States, or American folklore, is the folk tradition which has evolved on the North American continent since Europeans arrived in the 16th century. ... Adams is a city located in Robertson County, Tennessee. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ...

The story is the basis of the film An American Haunting (2006) and may have influenced production of The Blair Witch Project (1999). An American Haunting is a 2006 American horror film written and directed by Courtney Solomon. ... The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 independent horror film, financed and distributed by Artisan Entertainment. ...

Legend

According to the legend first manifestation of the haunting occurred in 1817 when John Bell encountered a strange animal in a cornfield on his property. The animal, described as having had the body of a dog and the head of a rabbit, vanished when Bell shot at it. This incident was quickly followed by a series of strange beating and gnawing noises manifesting around, and eventually inside, the Bell residence. After these occurrences, the Bell children said their bedclothes being regularly pulled off and tossed onto the floor by an invisible force. For other uses, see Legend (disambiguation). ...

The family then reported a voice choking and making awful, low, guttural noises. Betsy Bell, the family's younger daughter and the only daughter still living at home, was soon after violently assaulted--her hair pulled and her face slapped by an invisible force.

An artist's drawing of Betsy Bell, originally published in 1894

These events continued for over a year before John Bell reported them to his neighbors, James Johnston and his wife, who later said they witnessed events. At this point, the strange events experienced by the Bell family became well known in the Red River community, especially reports of a voice conversing loudly and clearly, singing, quoting from the Bible and accurately describing events taking place miles away. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ...

Another major development in the legend is the involvement of future U.S. President Andrew Jackson, who is said to have heard of the disturbances and decided to observe them in person in 1819. For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ...

On approaching the Bell property, Jackson's entourage encountered an invisible presence that stopped his wagon in its tracks. When Jackson acknowledged that the witch was responsible, the wagon was able to proceed unhindered.

One of the men in Jackson's entourage declared himself to be a witch tamer who intended to kill the spirit. After this proclamation, the man began screaming and contorting his body. Jackson and his entourage left the Bell property by midday the following day. He is quoted as later saying, "I'd rather fight the entire British Army than to deal with the Bell Witch." In reality there is no record in Jackson's diaries or anywhere else in the historic record of a visit by him to Red River or the Bell family, and the episode is presumed to be fictional.

Betsy Bell’s engagement to a neighbor named Joshua Gardner was another focus of the invisible entity’s displeasure, who followed and taunted them whenever they were alone together, leading Betsy to break off the relationship on Easter Monday in 1821. Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures. ...

The disembodied voice continued to communicate its dislike of John Bell and its intention to kill him. Bell was by then suffering frequent facial seizures, often rendering him speechless. The Bell family blamed John's affliction on the witch, but modern analysis of his symptoms indicates that he may have suffered from Bell's Palsy,^[1][2] a paralysis of the facial muscles. (The name "Bell's Palsy" comes from Charles Bell, the anatomist that discovered the condition. Charles Bell is no relation to the Bells of Adams, Tennessee. The name is a coincidence, and Bell's Palsy was not identified until 1821, the year after John Bell's death.) This article is about epileptic seizures. ... Bells palsy (or facial palsy) is characterised by facial drooping on the affected half, due to malfunction of the facial nerve (VII cranial nerve), which controls the muscles of the face. ... Sir Charles Bell Sir Charles Bell (November 1774, in Doun in Monteath, Edinburgh- April 28, 1842, in North Hallow, Worcestershire) was a Scottish anatomist, surgeon, and physiologist. ...

An artist's drawing of John Bell's death, originally published in 1894

John Bell died on December 20, 1820. A small vial containing an unidentified liquid he had apparently ingested was found near the body. When some of the contents were fed to the family cat, the animal died immediately; the bottle was then thrown into the fireplace. The family said later they heard a voice say, "I gave Ol' John a big dose of that last night, and that fixed him." Later, at Bell’s burial, funeral guests reported hearing a voice laughing and singing. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Bell’s death signaled the end of the series of events, but Lucy Bell later said a voice told her that it would return in 1828. During a three-week visit that year, John Bell Jr. reported that a voice communicated with him, predicting such events as the American Civil War, the Great Depression and both World Wars. ^{[citation needed]} Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... A world war is a war affecting the majority of the worlds major nations. ...

According to legend, after the entity last appeared in 1828, it said it would return in 107 years hence, in 1935. However, no such appearance was ever reported.

Fitzhugh's relation of the Bell Witch legend concludes with a statement to the effect that many people believe that the spirit returned in 1935, took up residence on the former Bell property, and remains there to the present day. He notes "the faint sounds of people talking and children playing can sometimes be heard in the area" and asserts that it is "very difficult to take a good picture there."

Published accounts

The earliest written account is in the Godspeed History of Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed Publishing. No author is given. Page 833 reads: Goodspeed Publishing, a publishing company that wrote and published many works on local history and biography in the 1880s. ...

The most famous account is recorded in the Red Book, the 1894 An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch of Tennessee by Martin Van Buren Ingram, which cites the earlier Richard William Bell's Diary: Our Family Trouble. Richard Williams Bell lists several witnesses, including General (later President) Andrew Jackson. No mention of the Bell Witch was ever made by Jackson in any of his letters, journals or papers, however. ^[3] For other uses, see Superstition (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ...

The Black Book was written much later, and published in 1934 by Dr. Charles Bailey Bell, great-grandson of John Bell.

Thirteen Tennessee Ghosts and Jeffrey by Kathryn Tucker Windham includes the story of the Bell Witch. Kathryn Tucker Windham (born June 2, 1918) is a storyteller, author, photographer, and journalist. ...

The Guidebook for Tennessee, published by the Works Project Administration in 1939, also contains an account that differs from Ingram's on pages 392–393. The Works Progress Administration (later Works Projects Administration, abbreviated WPA), was created on May 6, 1935 with the signing of Executive Order 7034. ...

In culture

• Bell Witch: The Movie starring Betsy Palmer (Mrs. Voorhees - Friday the 13th). Released to video in September 2007.
• The Bell Witch Haunting is a 2004 film made by Willing Hearts Productions. Filmed near the original location, the director claims to have encountered production difficulties such as fires and thinks the Bell Witch was responsible.
• On May 5, 2006 a film based on the events of the Bell Witch legend, titled An American Haunting, was released. An American Haunting is a thriller written and directed by Courtney Solomon. It stars Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Rachel Hurd-Wood and James D'Arcy. It is closely based on the narrative presented by author Brent Monahan in his novel, The Bell Witch: An American Haunting. This movie's explanation of the phenomena, derived from the novel, was that John Bell sexually assaulted his daughter, and her repressed memories of the event were transferred to the "hauntings of the witch." Despite being based on a work of fiction, the film was marketed as a true story. ^[4]
• The heavy metal band Mercyful Fate's 1993 album In the Shadows contains a song called "The Bell Witch" depicting the Bell Witch's attack. The song refers to John and Betsy Bell by name and ends with the poisoning of John Bell.
• The folk/pop band The Shakers from Hendersonville, TN released a four-song EP in 1988 (Carlyle Records--CR-44881) titled Living in the Shadow of a Spirit which was inspired by the Bell Witch Legend.

In October 2003, the Nashville Ballet and Nashville Chamber Orchestra premiered The Bell Witch, a one-act story ballet with an original score by Conni Ellisor, choreography by Ann Marie De Angelo, and 3-D efffects by renowned artist Gerald Marks. It is believed to be the first ballet ever to include 3-D effects. The Bell Witch Haunting is a 2004 supernatural thriller film, written and directed by Ric White. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An American Haunting is a 2006 American horror film written and directed by Courtney Solomon. ... Courtney Solomon (born September 1, 1971) is a Canadian film producer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mary Elizabeth Sissy Spacek (born December 25, 1949) is an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. ... Hurd-Wood in 2006s An American Haunting. ... James DArcy is an English actor. ... Heavy metals, in chemistry, are chemical elements of a particular range of atomic weights. ... Mercyful Fate is an influential Danish heavy metal group who are often cited among the influences in the black metal, thrash metal, power metal, and progressive metal genres. ... In The Shadows is the third full-length album by Mercyful Fate. ... Hendersonville is a city located in Sumner County, Tennessee. ...

External links

• The Bell Witch Project - Middle Tennessee Skeptics review of the legend.
• The Bell Witch by researcher Pat Fitzhugh.
• Bell Witch Fan Site
• The Bell Witch of Tennessee
• Electronic version of the 'Red Book'
• Prairie Ghosts - The Bell Witch
• The Spirit of Red River, by Jack Cook