Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 13:26:49 -0500
From: Catherine Parker (cparker@startribune.com)
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
Subject: Bell Witch correction
Janice stated as a fact that the Bell Witch was a poltergeist entity Betsy Bell manifested as a result of incest. I also read that book, which was a work of FICTION. It was very well done, and told through the point of view of Betsy's husband, but it was a novel. The author attempted to make it as realistic as possible, and it appears to be a work of non-fiction, but it is a contemporary novel, and not the actual memoirs of the husband of Betsy Bell. I just thought I'd better clear that up---thanks.
From: BoyOfAnAge@aol.com
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 21:46:07 EDT
Subject: Bell Witch
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
I wasn't sure if you were aware, but Andrew Jackson even wrote about the Bell Witch in his journal. It is published (although I do not know in which chronicle). However, the story apparently states that while travelling through Tennessee, Jackson met the Bell Witch. They had tied their horses down to investigate and survey the land. They happened upon this strange yet cynically kind woman. They spoke only briefly but once they returned to where their horses had been tethered, they had vanished. I am not sure if I got all of the intracacies correct, but it is definately a rumor you might want to investigate.
Mike Bolton
From: "mplett" (mplett@ix.netcom.com)
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 20:37:11 -0500
I have done a lot of research on the Bell witch and hope to make a pilgrimage to Adams, TN someday soon. But just to play devil's advocate, I would like to bring up something I have read about Betsy Bell's school teacher. You know, the one she ended up marrying after the witch told her to drop Mr. Gardner? One story argues that the teacher was not only a skilled hypnotist, but a vantriliquist as well. Some literature even maintains that the Bell's house had secret corridors that only he knew about because his father helped to build the Bell's residence. Some believe that the teacher suspected John Bell of molesting his daughter Betsy, and that the teacher put on this clever witch act to frighten him. And then when Betsy was courted by Gardner, who was in her class, the teacher became insanely jealous and beat Betsy severly enough to break of her engagement. I know this sounds as suspect as the bell witch legend itself, but I think it makes for an interesting argument.
Now that the "Blair Witch" project has caused thousands of people to flock to the tiny town of Burkittsville to see if they can prove the exsistance of what is known to be pure fiction, perhaps people can finally see how a little bit gossip and folklore can cause a nation wide panic. It is likely that the Bell Witch is just an enourmous phenomena surrounding a few slightly unusual events in Tennessee history.
From: Monajuana@aol.com
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 00:14:17 EDT
Subject: A Bell Witch Clarification
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
I have lived in Tennessee almost all of my life, about 2 hours away from Adams, TN. I have never heard the version of the Bell Witch Legend that I am about to share with you told before, nor have I seen it posted in a book or the Internet. It is possible it is out there but I am an avid reader of quality paranormal sites and have yet to come across it. This was told to me by an elderly high school agriculture teacher who in his youth lived in Adams.
John Bell was a very difficult, proud man. Before his marriage he was a bachelor in Adams. He worked very hard to create a prosperous farm and to become a high standing member of the community. Being single, rich (By Adams, TN standards during the time period) and owning his own property, he was actively sought by the single young ladies of Adams and the surrounding counties. John Bell began stepping out with a lady by the name of Kate Batts. John left for a business trip in New Orleans, and was invited to a social event at which point he met and within a short space of time married the Mrs. Bell we have all read about. When he returned to Adams with his bride in tow. Kate Batts was dismayed she had been bragging to the towns people that she was going to marry John Bell she had even gone so far as to order her trousseau embroidered with his initials. When Mr., Bell came back to town with a wife in tow Kate was embarrassed greatly. So she salvaged her hurt feelings and battered pride with gossip about Mrs. Bell. The stories were said to have been rumors that Mrs. Bell had been working in a house of prostitution when John met her, and just that she was a loose woman had became pregnant and he had been forced to marry her. When the rumors reached John Bell he became enraged. He had by this time become Magistrate of the tiny town and wielded enormous political and legal power. He had Kate arrested on trumped up charges and absconded with her out to a tiny line shack bordering his property. He told her that until she renounced her accusations against Mrs. Bell she wouldn't be leaving. She refused his offer and stayed the night. The next morning he returned to find her just as furious and unremorseful as he had left her. This continued for many days, with no food nor water for Kate. One night as he was leaving she cursed him and his family, but he paid her no heed. The next morning when he returned Kate Batts was dead. John Bell forgot her dying words until 5 years later strange things began to happen and the Tale of The Bell Witch began to circle around Adams, Tennessee and beyond......
Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 22:38:35 -0400
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
From: Alice (enigma@mail.tds.net>
Subject: Bell Witch Cave Closed
Greetings-
I am sad to report that upon visiting Adams, TN and the Bell Witch Cave today I found the site closed to the public. It has been closed for the last two months due to a fire on the premises caused by visiting tourists during the drought.(Lit Cigarette, no poltergeist here!) I and three of my traveling companions journeyed some 600 miles roundtrip to visit the cave for the first time based upon the premise that the cave was open seven days a week as reported at several websites and because we were inspired by the stories at your webpage. It would be generous of you to recommend that people phone ahead to see if the cave is back open rather than have them read about the Bell Witch Cave at your site and make a pilgrimage for not.
Although we were able to visit the cemetary and the old school, it seemed rather sad to have come all that way to visit the most haunted place in America to encounter a 'Sorry, we're closed.' We actually met a large family from Missouri at the Bell cemetary who had read about the Bell Witch on your story page and traveled all the way from their homes, only to realize the same frustration and dissappointment as I and my friends. Your kind assistance in this matter might save a lot of people wasted time, gasoline, and frustration.
Thank your for your consideration in this matter. Respectfully- KJP, PA, BP, JH
From: "Joelle Cavitt" (joellecavitt@hotmail.com)
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
Subject: The Bell Witch
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 16:35:29 -0400
I was reading the Bell Witch comments on your web page. I, too, am from Tennessee, and have noticed that many references address people that "are named Bell and from Tennessee." There are A LOT of people throughout the state of Tennessee (which--landwise--is a fairly large state, taking six to eight hours to travel from Chattanooga to Memphis) whose last name is Bell, and my guess is that they are NOT RELATED to John Bell. Just a clarfication!
Joelle McCoy
Chattanooga, TN
From: MrShank2000@aol.com
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 05:31:29 EST
Subject: Bell Witch,Adams TN
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
Hello,
My name is Richard from Clarksville, TN. Clarksville is only 20 miles away from Adams so I have a brief knowledge on the Bell Witch story. I have been to the Bell Family cemetary and the cave and other eerie places in Adams and I have a question about the cemetery. When you go to the cemetary there is a wall around the immediate family and on the outside of the wall their is a arrow engraved into the stone. I have heard it is impossible to walk around the graves because "something" would push you off. Is there any more info on this?
Richard Herrell
Clarksville, TN
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 20:50:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Story Submission
yourname Maria
email BigCoffinHunter@aol.com
I just wanted to add a couple things. First, Richard Powell, Betsy Bell's husband ,did indeed want the manuscript he wrote to be made public. In the last paragraph of his manuscript, he states to daughter: "I hope that you will have the courage to see that (his story) is made public. There is much that can and should be learned here." This was to be done aftr both he and Betsy passed away.
Also, by the way, the author who compiled that manuscript was Brent Monahan and the title was "The Bell Witch, An American Haunting."
I am a new follower of this, so don't have a lot of knowledge on the subject yet, but appreciate you reading this over.
Maria
The Bell Witch Information Page
This page (http://www.ghosts.org/bell/bellcomments2.html) last updated April 17, 2005.