The Jersey Devil, A Compelling Cryptid

It’s been a good while since I’ve delved into the world of cryptids but it’s still a topic that I have a deep fascination for. With a variety of cryptic creatures out there to discuss, it can be difficult to pick apart fantasy from reality. One of the most intriguing cryptids, in my opinion, is the Jersey Devil, with centuries of history and years of sightings!

The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature said to inhabit the pines of New Jersey. Described as having hooves, a forked tail and having bat-like wings, it’s head is similar to that of a goat or horse, often depicted with horns. In 1735, the cryptid was first named by Pine Barrens resident, Jane Leeds (also known as Mother Leeds). She had bared twelve children and upon discovering that she was pregnant with her thirteenth, she cried out in frustration, cursing the child, believing that this child would be the devil himself.
On the night of its birth, her family gathered as the child was born normal..at first. But according to lore (and stay with me), it then changed into a creature described as the Jersey Devil. After using its forked tail to beat everyone in the room (I can’t help but laugh a little as I write this), it fled through the chimney and flew to the pines of Jersey.

There is another version of this story: Jane was a witch and that the cursed child’s father was the devil himself. Other variations include that an exorcism had taken place to drive the Jersey Devil away from the Pines.
While this may sound pretty out there, we at least know that the family did exist. ‘Mother Leeds’ was later identified as Deberah Leeds and her husband was Japhet Leeds (their home pictured above). He wrote about their twelve children in his will in 1736. They resided in Leeds Point, apart of what is now Atlantic County, New Jersey.

Brian Regal (historical scientist at Kean University) has theories on the story, through extensive research. He believes that rather than Mother Leeds being a single focal point, it involved an entire religious-political colony in Southern New Jersey that deemed the Leeds to be ‘devils’. These stories evolved over the years, morphing into the legends we know today. He theorizes that by the 1700s and early 1800s, the legends became just another ghost story, being tossed around in the Pine Barrens, New Jersey area. But is it something as casual as a spooky story or is there some real truth behind it?

Sightings

Pictured above is one of the most debated and widely circulated photo of what many believe to be the Jersey Devil finally captured on camera. While this is the most compelling photo evidence, I don’t know if I can see this as anything more than editing. But who knows since the origin of this photo wasn’t something I could find.

Since the Leeds family story, people have reported spotting the Jersey Devil. The older brother of Napoleon, Joseph Bonaparte claimed to have seen the creature on his Bordentown estate while hunting in 1820. A couple decades later, in the 1840s, the Jersey Devil was blamed for many livestock killings, some attacks accompanied by screams with strange tracks being left behind.

Outbreak of 1909

Hundreds more sightings arose in 1909 during the week of January 16-23 in South Jersey. This was treated like an outbreak and massive panic errupted as reports of the Jersey Devil came flooding in. An odd event was reported, where local police tried to actually shoot something in the sky that resembled the beast, though they missed and nothing more came of this. While sightings died down eventually, this didn’t stop the reports that were yet to occur.

Hoaxes, Misidentifications, and Explanations

As with every legend, there are believers and a side of skepticism. Skeptics believe that the Jersey Devil is nothing more than an animal misidentification and an old, exaggerated tale for children’s entertainment. A common misconception were the fooprints. Many interpreted these prints (which actually mostly came from horses) as Jersey devil footprints.
Another notable example of misidentification was in 1909 (in the midst of public panic) when Norman Jeffries and an animal trainer, Jacob Hope got together and attached fake wings and claws to a kangaroo. You may think that no one would fall for this but many people believed him as Norman had displayed it in his museum! He finally admitted to his hoax…twenty years later.

Modern Media

The Jersey Devil has since made its mark on modern media, having been featured in movies (The Barrens in 2011, TMNT in 2007), TV shows(Legend Quest, Monsters and Mysteries in America, Lore, and theX-Files) and even in video games, one being The Wolf Among Us. Six Flags Great Adventure even announced in 2019 that Rocky Mountain Construction would build a Jersey Devil Coaster. Maybe take some time and look around on facebook and reddit. You’ll likely find people sharing their experinces! Either way, its safe to say that the Jersey Devil has been pretty popular! And it will likely continue to be popular for years to come, enticing and intriguing many across not only New Jersey but the world!

Have you or someone you know come in contact with the Jersey Devil? Comment below and as always, thank you for reading!

More history and haunts here…