The Jersey Devil

Residing within the Pine Barrens of New Jersey is said to live strange creature- one of pounding hooves, beating wings, and curling horns- none other than the famous Jersey devil.

Legend tells that in the year of 1735, the Leeds family found themselves once again expecting a child. The family was one quite fruitful; for the child Mother Leeds carried with the thirteenth of her brood. Having already borne twelve to an ungrateful, drunkard of a husband- she'd not responded well to the news that she'd be given yet another mouth to feed. It was said that Leeds shouted in exasperation-

"Let this one be a devil!"

Several months later, the thirteenth Leeds child was delivered seemingly smoothly, the family gifted with a new healthy baby boy. However, what Mother Leeds had cried out all that time ago had not gone unheard; within mere minutes, the child began to shift into a creature fit only for Hell. The thirteenth wailed, sprouting wicked horns, wings, talons, and fangs- the child's form twisting into that of a monster. It leapt upon Mother Leeds, killing her swiftly- and dispatching the midwives just as quickly. The same fait awaited the rest of the family. Once the rotten beast had finished its work, it flew up the chimney, vanishing into the darkness of Pine Barrens where it has lived ever since.

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Throughout the years, many people have reported sightings of this strange cryptid, with most attributing its origins to this frightful folktale of a murderous devil child. The true orgins of this monster, however, are likely far more mundane.

The Leeds were in fact a real family that existed in the New Jersey area, descending from some of the the colony's earliest settlers. Daniel Leeds, a Quaker, became ostracized from the local Quaker chapter following his publication of almanacs that contained astrological writings, esoteric theology, studies of occultism, angels, demons, and magic. Such works were frowned on and were thus frequently censored, leaving Daniel branded as a heretic. This easily led the foundations for the demonization of the Leeds family, and with Daniel's further distancing himself from the community through his monarchist views, it wasn't difficult to see how he'd ended up characterized as evil.

Daniel's son, Titan, even got into a amusing (one-sided) feud with Benjamin Franklin, which ended up resulting in Franklin jokingly predicting Titan's death. Titan, of course, did not die per Franklin's prediction- but the founding father referred to him as a ghost from that point on.

This combined climate of heresy, occultism, the 'ghost' of Titan, monarchist leanings, and the Leeds' family crest featuring a wyvern seemed to have combined into the myth of the Leed's Devil- or as we know it today, the Jersey Devil. Despite this historical explanation, the devil is still sighted by residents of the Pine Barrens area, and will likely continue to be seen as long as the legend lives on.

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Historical Basis for the Leed's Devil

Weird NJ's Article