Tennessee's Infamous Bell Witch: The Bell Witch Greets the Adams Community

Within a year from the Bell Witches first ungodly appearance, the disturbances had escalated into heavy pounding on the walls bed sheets being pulled from the foot of the beds, the eerie sound of sucking sounds through teeth and hysterical laughing. John Bell had developed a serious nervous condition that affected his jaw and throat, and gave him great difficulty in swallowing. He thought that what ever spirit was loose in his house had surely caused him this ailment. He finally sought the confidence of a close friend James Johnson.

Johnson had agreed to spend the night in his friends home, to experience what John Bell had told him was happening there. Johnson and his wife had enjoyed a good country meal and Johnson began reading from the bible for the Bell family. He ended the evening's festivities by praying feverishly for god to deliver the Bell family, from whatever spirit that hell had sent upon this earth to torment them.

Later that evening as all had retired for a nights rest, the Bell Witch came calling with her own special welcome, for the visiting guest. The sounds started in full volume, as all were startled awake, the sheets were ripped from the Johnson's bed. James Johnson quickly retrieved the sheets and held with all his might as they were pulled from his tightly clinched hands. As the walls shook and the noises escalated, the Johnson's could only shriek in horror to the all too familiar occurrences, which the Bell family had come to know.

With the arrival of the new day, Johnson told his friend that this spirit was much too intelligent and vicious for just the two of them. He suggested that they enlist the help of other friends to put an end to this evil entity.

As each friend was brought into the group, the witch greeted them with the same evil intensity, but she also added a new twist. She quickly found a voice and began to recite the deliverance prayer that James Johnson had uttered on his first night in the Bell house. As the witch learned to speak, it is said that she never shut up from that point on.

It is said that the witch could speak eloquently of two Sunday morning sermons happening simultaneously, at churches located at opposite areas of the county. She could carry on highly intelligent conversations, but spent most of her time gossiping on the members of the community and casting profane triads at the occupants of the Bell household.

Local Bell Witch Sites:
The Bell Witch Haunting - a locally filmed movie based on the Bell Witch.
The Bell Witch Story - a locally produced play based on the Bell Witch
The Bell Witch Cave - Bell Witch Cave Tours

National Bell Witch Sites:
Ultimate Bell Witch Site
Bell Witch Fans
Bell Witch the Movie