Pastor witnesses unexpected reunion of descendants of famed Batts, Bell families
SPRINGFIELD — David Evans, pastor of Springfield Baptist, recently welcomed two youths into the faith with baptism.
It was a moment of celebration for family and friends — and it revealed a centuries-old connection.
“As I’m going through all the baptism plans with the family, their mom says, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m the eighth-generation grandchild of Kate Batts,’” Evans recalled.
For anyone familiar with Middle Tennessee folklore, the name probably rings a bell — literally. Kate Batts is the historical figure behind the famed “Bell Witch” of Adams, Tenn.
What neither family realized that Sunday morning was that while Batts’ descendants were being baptized, members of the Bell family sat in the congregation, continuing their years-long membership at Springfield Baptist.
Pastor David Evans baptizes the ninth-generation descendants of Kate Batts of the Bell Witch legend at Springfield Baptist last March. — Photos by Lynese Lenses Photography
“My wife was there,” recounted Bob Bell, the fifth-generation grandchild of John Bell. “She got all excited. She texted me. She thought it was neat that some of the Batts were at the church. We didn’t even know any of the Batts relatives were still around.”
“It’s just so cool to watch God continuing to change an evil narrative to a holy, sacred moment,” Evans said. “God continues to bring these two families together and continues to see His purpose fulfilled in these families and draw them to Him, despite the history and the legend. What the devil meant for bad, God means for good here.”
A native of Robetson County, Evans has been pastor of Springfield Baptist since 2019. He grew up hearing the Bell Witch story as a “scary” Halloween tale in school, but like many other natives sees the legend as a “sore spot” in the area’s history.
According to Bell, this “well-documented” legend began with a business dispute between his ancestor John Bell and Kate Batts over the selling of a slave girl in the early 1800s. Bell was accused of usury and expelled from the Baptist church (he became Methodist as a result). Bell and Batts, who were actually kin, took their grievances to court.
“Women normally did not do business back then, but she was known to be very eccentric,” explained Bob Bell, who is also the patriarch of Austin and Bell Funeral Home.
Local lore says that between 1817 and 1821, Batts’ “spirit” haunted the Bell family with animal noises, voices, broken dishes, scratching sounds, and other disturbances. John Bell’s death in December 1820 was allegedly caused by the vengeful ghost.
Evans said there are three types of people when it involves this story: some residents become fascinated ghost hunters, others ignore the stories completely, while many remain genuinely superstitious about the legend.
Regardless of a person’s stance on the story, Kate Batts’ descendants getting baptized represents a moment of redemption over dark legends. Historically, people associated with such supernatural tales often become outcasts in their communities.
Evans notes this social dynamic has long affected how local churches approach the Bell Witch story. “To have something else taint this community with something that apparently was some kind of demonic possession or demonic influence. If anything, it might not have been anything at all,” he said. “So a lot of the religious community would steer away from talking about it.”
Counter to that, Evans said he believes it is important for the church to engage with the community and address issues like superstition and darkness, and to shine the light of the gospel.
Springfield Baptist has been experiencing remarkable growth, with baptisms occurring every Sunday this year — a trend Evans describes as both unique and significant. Now this bridge of reconciliation, built despite centuries of lore, exemplifies the church’s broader mission of community engagement and gospel-sharing.
“The overarching theme in Scripture is redeeming love, the redemptive part of who God is,” said Evans. “Our job as the church is to engage the needs of our community.
“A story like this — sharing this moment in our church — helps those with the superstitions, helps those who are dwelling in the darkness. You can see what God has redeemed out of that and follow and chase Him to find your purpose,” Evans said.
Bell sees the situation with similar clarity, adding, “We’re all in the same boat. We go through life the same way. God has a way of working everything out.” B&R
