In time, the couple had two more sons and a daughter, Betsy. John became a successful farmer and a member of the Red River Baptist Church. He was a well-recognized figure in the area.

One day in 1817 John spotted a strange looking animal that had the body of a dog and the head of a rabbit in one of his fields. He shot at the creature several times, but apparently missed.

That night, as the Bell family prepared to retire, noises were heard outside. It sounded as if something were bumping against the house and gnawing on portions of it! John went outside to investigate and found nothing. These sounds returned night after night and became increasingly louder; John was unable to pinpoint the cause.

During this time, the Bell children began to complain that someone or something had pulled the covers off them during the night. Whispers and chants could be heard in the darkness. The daughter, Betsy, was brutalized repeatedly by some unknown entity.

For three years the conditions remained the same on the Bell farm. As word got out, neighbors came to witness the strange occurrences in and around the house. Things in the house would be picked up and moved by an invisible force. An entity would speak to the Bells and their guests. The entity identified itself as Kate Batts, a neighbor that John had in some way upset. In time, the community began to refer to the force as the Bells' Witch.

In his later years, John Bell experienced frequent facial seizures. On December 19, 1820, he became violently ill, lapsed into a coma and died sometime in the night or early morning! Found beside him was a small vial containing a mysterious liquid, a small amount of which was force-fed to a cat; the cat died almost immediately after ingesting it.

The entity, by this time, known as Kate, accepted full responsibility for John Bell’s death, giving no reason for the crime. Kate then left with the announcement that she would return in seven years.

For seven years nothing was heard of Kate. Many believe the ghost was residing in a nearby cave that today is known as the Bells' Witch Cave.

In 1828, she returned for a few weeks. She visited John Bell Jr. at his home and spoke to him at length about many things. During this time, she stated that there had been a reason for John Bell Senior’s death, but she never revealed the reason. Upon leaving, she promised to return in one-hundred and seven years. Some believe she never left, but resided in the cave.

1935, the year of Kate’s promised return would come and go with no particular occurrances at the Bell farm.

Today the farm still exists, though it is not owned by the Bell family anymore and is not open to the public. The Bells' Witch Cave is located near Keysburg Road in Adams, Tennessee. It is open to the public for tours, by appointment only. The Bells' Witch Cave is listed on the National Historical Registry by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Within the cave, visitors report voices from otherwise empty chambers of the cave. Mysterious lights and orbs have also been seen floating in the darkness of the cave.