The way the legend goes, back in 1735 mother Leeds had 12 children and found out she was pregnant with her thirteenth child. Upon hearing the news, she cursed the unborn child saying may this child be the devil.
Finally, one dark and stormy night with friends gathered around her, mother Leeds gave birth to a normal adorable little boy. Unfortunately, this normal looking baby boy would soon turn into a hideous creature, right before everyone’s eyes. Growing a pitch forked tail, a head similar to a dog, its feet turning into hooves, and wings similar to a bat transpired.
The devil attacked and killed the midwife thrashing and tearing up the home, then suddenly flew up and out the chimney, into the Pine Barrens in Southern New Jersey.
For about five years, the Jersey Devil would continue to terrorize the people in the town, leaving people scared to venture outside after sundown, in fear that the devil would attack.
In 1740, a clergyman decided he had to do something about the Jersey Devil, and exorcised the devil to leave the town and the people alone for the next 100 years. The clergyman though warned the people that in 100 years, the devil would return with a vengeance. The legend of the Jersey Devil continued to be passed down from generation to generation as a warning for those who would see the devils return.
Sightings of the Jersey Devil
The next actual sighting of the Jersey Devil was in 1778 before the devil would make its vengeful return in 1840. Commodore Stephen Decatur, who was testing cannonballs at a firing range, caught the site of a winged creature flying high above in the sky. Decatur shot a cannon ball at the devil hitting his wing, but left no damage to the devil.
A few years later Joseph Bonaparte former King of Spain and brother to Napoleon Joseph Bonaparte would catch the next glimpse of the Jersey Devil, while on a hunting trip.
The Jersey Devil Releases its Vengeance
In 1840, as the clergyman promised, the Jersey Devil would start to leave his revenge, terrorizing people, killing livestock, and waking people in the middle of the night with its awful yell. The revenge would continue throughout 1841. After 1841, things seemed to be rather quiet and people started to go on thinking that the devil had probably died.
However, in January of 1909 The Pine Barrens and other areas of New Jersey would have its biggest reported sightings of the Jersey Devil, throughout a week’s period. Thousands of people from the police, government officials, mail carriers, and others would report sightings of the devil.
People would report footprints that would go so far and disappear, loud yelling noises, and sounds on the roof. Some people claimed to be awaken by an awful sound to find some creature sitting outside their bedroom window.
The Leeds Devil is Still Around
Some people claim that the Jersey Devil is nothing but a legend, a story used by the local people to scare the children, so they would be good and not stay out late.
Others will disagree and swear that the Jersey Devil is real and still alive today. As of recent, there are still sightings throughout New Jersey from people claiming to have seen the Jersey Devil or as some refer to it the Leeds Devil.
If you find yourself alone at night in the Pines Barrens beware that it is the devils stomping ground and you never know what you might come across.
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