Interview with Bell Witch Author Pat Fitzhugh
Pat Fitzhugh
An Interview Bell Witch Author Pat Fitzhugh
by Annette Munnich
It’s my pleasure to come to know author and historian, Pat Fitzhugh, whose mother is related to the John Bell family by marriage. Pat has researched the Bell Witch story extensively over the last three decades. He is an expert on the famous Bell Witch haunting that began in 1817 in Tennessee and is now one of the most well known paranormal stories in the US.
The haunting centered around the John Bell family and it’s story was the basis for the movie “An American Haunting” starring Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek made in 2005. To this date it is the the account of the only death ever to be caused by a ghost.
Annette: Thanks for making some time for me Pat. I have been looking forward to this interview. First question… how did you first get involved with the Bell Witch Story?
Pat: My mother read me the story when I was very young. What intrigued me the most was the fact that it involves real people and real places,
and that there is a family relation, through marriage, several
generations back. My mother also was from the area where the legend
took place.
Annette: Can you give us a little background on the Bell Witch? When did
it begin and why do you think the story persists to this day?
Pat: The Bell Witch was an entity that terrorized the Red River community
of Robertson County, Tennessee, especially the home and family of
John Bell, from 1817-1821 and for a brief time in 1828. The entity
acted like a poltergeist in the beginning, but over time it developed
intelligence and the ability to speak clearly. It also possessed the
ability to read minds, as well as predict the future. The entity
said that it’s main intention was to kill John Bell. It was also
averse to Betsy Bell’s (John Bell’s youngest daughter) engagement to
a boy who lived nearby. After killing John Bell, the entity broke up
the engagement.
Annette: You researched Bell Witch for over 20 years. How did you become so fascinated with this paranormal tale?
Pat: This is my 31st year researching the legend, and my level of
fascination with it, as well as my determination to find and share
even more information, grows stronger each day. Every answer that I
find yields more questions.
Annette: How close are the movies Bell Witch Haunting and An American
Haunting to telling the whole truth about what actually transpired?
Are they just sensationalized stories or based closely to the truth?
Pat: Both movies have good “scare value.” However, as an author and
historian, my primary interest is historical accuracy. I feel that
“The Bell Witch Haunting” follows the story more closely than “An
American Haunting” does.
Annette: Do you have a theory as to why the Bell Witch haunting began and what it’s purpose was if any?
Pat: Balance and flexibility are the most important traits that a
researcher can possess. An absence of the former leads to bias; an
absence of the latter leads to nearsightedness and carelessness;
either will compromise the integrity of the research being performed
– and of the person performing the research.
That having been said, I have many different ‘possible’ theories
about the Bell Witch. Some of them are paranormal, and some are not.
My “current theory,” as well as my opinion of the legend, changes
from time to time, depending on where my research takes me. The only
constant to the legend is that the entity was very real, and very
frightening, to those who experienced it first hand.
Annette: Your book is more than 400 pages. How long did it take to write it and what can people expect to discover through reading it?
Pat: The actual writing of the book took about two years, although it represents 22 years of research (at that time). The book contains historical footnotes, endnotes, appendices with explanations of key
terms and concepts, and even an index. It contains all three versions of the legend (North Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi), and covers from 1817 until 1999.
It was the first book to tell the world about John Bell’s
excommunication from the church, and the first book to fully debunk,
through historical data, the myth that states Kate Batts was behind
the disturbances. It was the first book to cover all three states’
versions of the legend. It also shares many other key pieces of
information, including my theory at that time, for the very first
time.
Annette: Are there places to visit for people curious about the Bell Witch?
Pat: Most of the area where the legend happened is now on private
property, and the local residents are extremely vigilant with
trespassers. The best place to get “near” the Bell Witch is the
Adams Museum and Archives Building in Adams, TN. They have the last
surviving structure from the John Bell plantation, which is an
1810-era log cabin that was used as slave’s quarters. Bellwood
Cemetery, nearby, is open to the public during the day and contains
the graves of many Bell family descendants. There also is a cave
nearby.
Annette: Thanks so much for letting me interview you about the fascinating Bell Witch story. It’s been a real pleasure.
Pat Fitzhugh’s Book THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Tags:Annette Munnich,Bell Witch,Paranormal Interviews,Paranormal Python,Pat Fitzhugh,The Bell Witch: The Full Account
Tags: 
0 Responses to “Interview with Bell Witch Author Pat Fitzhugh”