Before we jump into the story, we need to thank Rachel, John, Kira, and Miss Tigger.

You are the reason this show is possible.

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become a Patreon member and win our Undying Love and Gratitude.

We love you guys. I'm Melissa Sweeney.

And I'm Nate Reisman and this is you we're starting at the beginning.

Kind of.

For me, at least.

Stumbling onto a book about the Bell Witch Legend when I was 10 years old is about as close

as I get to an origin story for my love of all things spooky. And if you listen to Ghost Podcast,

chances are you know a little or a lot about the Bellwitch,

a story that's considered to be not only one

of the oldest ghost stories in America,

but also, and this is the thing that hooked tenured me,

the only known ghost story where a ghost was responsible

for the death of a human being.

Where was it? So who or what was the legend of the bellwitch?

It's 1817.

John Bell was a farmer who started seeing bizarre animals on his property.

Then his children began hearing the sound of scratching on the walls,

gnawing on bed posts.

Their sheets getting pulled off of them as they

...