From: Jack Cook (jcook56050@aol.com)
First, it is my good fortune that "Obiwan" has been more than gracious to maintain my "Bell Spirit" page for the general public on my behalf. And all Obiwan accepted in return was my gratitude. This continues to be one of the finest sites on the Web for ghost and haunting information with a broad view of topics. I rate it highly, and recommend it to anyone who asks me.
Thank you very much to all of the family members of the Bell lineage and other families related to the Red River area who have been so generous in sharing information once they have discovered this site. Thanks also to all of the folks who have sent in some very thoughtful questions. They made me go back to my files and discover items of history that were so easily missed on first glance. This wonderful tool called the Internet, has enhanced my ability to flesh out some very interesting details concerning the community of Tennessee and North Carolina during the early 1800's. Those little details help to turn a stick figure of a story into a full-bodied, epic tale of early America. The more one studies the pioneer founders, the more respect you must have for their ability, energy, creativity, and sheer will power in founding a nation against whom the forces of nature and man seemed poised at every turn to thwart. (insert waving flag here)
Now to a topic of importance:
This message is directed at those folks who have found themselves drawn to the physical or provable aspects of the "Blair Witch Project", or the Legend of the "Bell Witch", or any other such story, be it fictional or true. These are powerful stories of people whose lives were in some way thrust into turmoil by actions or forces over which they had little or no control. Their narrative explores an association with the very basics of human nature and the mysteries of the spirit. They attract the interest of people from all walks of life much as any religion would. Consequently, they are frequently an incursion upon the lives of the families associated with them through no fault of their own. These folks endure the problems of fame with few of the rewards.
Of all the information that has passed my way in the last ten years, I find it most unfortunate that certain individuals in the community of phenomena, and those I must call simple vandals, have found it necessary to treat monuments, photos, and other physical properties belonging to families and to the public domain with reckless disregard. By law and by the simple rules of propriety, these things are NOT ours with which to do as we please. They have owners who place value upon them, and wish to see them preserved or presented in context for themselves or for the public's information.
Those of us who make a study of parapsychological phenomena and historical family stories are honor bound to follow some basic rules when collecting data or visiting sites considered important to an event (even if the event is fictional, such as in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow or the Amityville Horror). It is also our responsibility to observe and report problems to the owners or to the authorities.
Some specific infringements and problems often mentioned to me are listed below:
The visiting of closed cemeteries without permission from the keepers or owners is trespassing. Photographs taken of graves or monuments and used in a public forum or publication should be cleared with permission by the family or cemetery authority. These were real people with a real history whose families continue to honor their memory with a monument of love and respect.
The desecration, destruction, defacement or theft of public or private properties is illegal. This includes gravestones, monuments, public signs, gateways, parts of buildings, or anything placed within specific property boundaries. This also very much includes the theft of library books.
Trespassing or visiting private properties without permission that are not specifically posted as open to the public is illegal. Observing from a distance and from a public access is generally legal, but be polite when the owners are present, and always leave when asked.
Before using materials, photos, archival records, family histories, or any published material (whether copyrighted or not) you should have permission from the creator or owner. Information that is taken from the public domain (ie. not copyrighted), should be used in context and proper credit should always be given to the source, either personal or institutional. Always remember; when in doubt, ask permission and list the credit. Legally speaking, the rules of Copyright are always changing, but the act of origination does not.
As the re-release of the Exorcist and the new Blair Witch motion pictures continue to whip up a frenzy of interest in demons, apparitions, and the frights of spiritual peril, the cities and families associated with these events will once more endure the gawking looks or vandalism of the inconsiderate among us. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent an influx of curious fans and onlookers into a community associated with paranormal events. However, the common interest of the public should never override the rights of families to peace, privacy, and the pursuit of normal lives. Let's all be polite, and remain aware that every inconsiderate action we make in this life......... comes back to haunt us later.
Jack Cook
September 2000
The Bell Witch Information Page
This page (http://www.ghosts.org/bell/bellvisit.html) last updated April 17, 2005.