John Bell Sr. farmed along the Red River in what became Robertson County, Tennessee, near today’s Adams. According to the received legend, odd animal sightings began around 1817 (strange beast in the corn, oversized bird, childlike figure in green, black dog on the road), then moved indoors: knocks, scratching and gnawing sounds, dragging chains, shaken beds, hair-pulling, slaps and pinches. Activity centered on Betsy and John. The presence allegedly learned to speak, quote scripture, argue with guests, travel, and prophesy. In Ingram’s account it linked itself to “Old Kate Batts’ witch,” hence the familiar name “Kate.”

Folklore also sends Andrew Jackson to the farm for a failed confrontation (“prefer fight the British…”). No solid contemporary confirmation of that visit has turned up; treat it as legend.

John Bell’s long illness ended with his death on or about 20 December 1820. Later narrative adds a mysterious vial and the witch’s claim of responsibility. Cause of death is not medically documented as supernatural. Disturbances are said to have eased after his death, with a farewell in 1821 and a claimed brief return about seven years later.

The story’s modern shape comes chiefly from Ingram (1894), who presented material attributed to Richard Williams Bell as “Our Family Trouble” (said to date from the 1840s). Independent survival of that manuscript before Ingram is disputed; some researchers treat parts of Ingram as folklore preservation, others as heavy embellishment or invention. Charles Bailey Bell and later books, tourism (cave, festivals), and film (e.g. An American Haunting) layered more detail on the same core.