Tennessee's Infamous Bell Witch: Who was the Bell Witch?

The Bell Witch seemed to center her attention around John Bell and his teenage daughter Betsy. They were the ones who suffered the most from the physical wrath of the witch, being repeatedly prodded, poked, scratched, punched and abused by the unknown entity. She absolutely forbade Betsy to marry her suitor Joshua Gardner and she vowed that she would see Old John Bell dead.

The Witch once identified herself as the ghost of an Indian, whose grave had been disturbed by a member of the Bell Family. Town folk quickly associated her with town eccentric and Bell neighbor Kate Batts; who neighbors stated, held no love loss for John Bell or his family.

At the same time that the haunting started, a new schoolteacher named Richard R. P. Powell descended on the town of Adams. He coincidentally held a special love interest in Betsy Bell and happened to teach and live at a schoolhouse adjacent to the Bell property. Powell had a secret wife living in Dickson Tennessee at the time. He later married Betsy Bell after she told Joshua Gardner that she could not defy the witch and marry him.

No matter who was the cause behind the torment of the Bell family, it is said that John Bell fell deathly ill on December 19th 1820, and as two of his sons came in to check on him, they found him unresponsive. They summoned the town doctor who immediately inquired what medicines he was taking. John Bell jr. went to fetch the medicine, only to find a vial of unknown liquid from the cupboard. The witch then spoke up saying "I gave it to him and he's never going to rise" John Bell lingered until his death the next morning. The family had to endure the witches gleeful ranting and singing until his burial a day later. The witch could hardly contain her excitement, as she had done what she had initially set out to do.

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