Eugenia Murray was not a kind woman. She was not a good woman. She lived life away from others and wanted it that way. The reasons for Eugenia’s bitterness and hatred were never known. It could’ve been a spurned lover, an unfaithful spouse, or a bad childhood. Whatever the reason,Continue Reading
Amery Harlan hated his wife. He hated her nagging and her constant push for him to be something he wasn’t. He’d became enamored by Martha Mills and she had returned his favor. Amery didn’t want a divorce, though. He didn’t want to be bothered with the formalities and legal mumbo-jumbo.Continue Reading
T. Gilley was a showman of epic proportions. He was flashy, gaudy, and no matter how many claimed to hate him, he drew a crowd every Saturday morning. T. Gilley held illegal cock fights outside the West Hill Cemetery in Bristol. Despite the fact that they were breaking the law,Continue Reading
Old Nance was featured in a few old books, such as Spirit of the Mountains, by Emma B. Miles. This little known haunting is remarkably and uncannily similar to the Bell Witch episode on the other side of the state. We’re left wondering how such contrasting public sentiments came fromContinue Reading
The Trials of Betsy Bell is a little-known song that once appeared in Southern Lyrics, a book published in 1907. The song is noted as being written in July of 1906, but there is no information on the writer. ‘Tis scarcely yet one hundred years Since came and went theContinue Reading
This final article on the Bell Witch addresses many revelations and rumors that have since surfaced. Nearly two centuries have passed since these events and countless legends have developed since. It’s impossible to gather them all, and even more difficult to find the necessary history on each theory to includeContinue Reading
James Johnson, or “Old Sugarmouth,” became a central figure in Bell Witch history, almost as much as Betsy’s siblings were. His sons, John and Calvin, were said to have caught Powell in the middle of something dubious. This story has been passed down through Johnson’s descendants, but has not beenContinue Reading
Many theories have emerged since the haunting began, yet the most suspicious character is seldom mentioned. Betsy Bell was accused of conspiring and orchestrating the events that led to her father’s murder. Her brothers were accused of the same. John Bell has been grotesquely accused of sexually molesting his ownContinue Reading
Bell Witch skeptics existed when word first traveled that the Bell family experienced unusual trouble. The haunting has been blamed on Betsy, John, Jesse, and some have even blamed the entire family for orchestrating everything. Kate Batts has been blamed for nearly two centuries, over some minor dispute that bothContinue Reading
The spirit grew incredibly powerful in a variety of ways, which ultimately led many to believe a human was behind the incarnation. As far as actions and attitude, it seemed to be marooned in perpetual adolescence. The Bell Witch implied it was a spirit, but its behavior said otherwise. ItContinue Reading