Post by Abraxas on May 16, 2011 11:51:41 GMT -5
The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many variations. The Jersey Devil has worked its way into the pop culture of the area, even lending its name to New Jersey's team in the National Hockey League.
The Jersey Devil is unique in the world of cryptozoology in that there are a multiple origin stories revolving around the creature, no less then 10 different and varying accounts of its birthplace, parents, and relatives. As a regional being the Jersey Devil seems to have its origins in every imaginable town in the southern part of New Jersey, almost every town has it's own version of the myth. The dates of its birth span several decades as well, making it quite a task to determine its true origins, these specific dates are 1735, 1779, 1800, 1830, 1850,1855, 1884, and as late as 1887. Interestingly the Jersey Devil is one of the oldest cryptids, its origins stretch nearly 100 years before such famous cryptids as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and many others.
Of all the townships associated and reputed to be the birthplace of the Jersey Devil it is the town of Burlington and a small section of Galloway township known as Leeds Point, and of these it is Leeds Point which is most often mentioned. The most obvious element common to all of the variations is the name of "Leeds", which arguably may be the mother's surname or the stated birthplace of Leeds Point, New Jersey. The name appears in most all known accounts of the legend and may have some basis in the historical record. Existing documents clearly show that the family of one Daniel Leeds took up residence at Leeds Point, presumably named for this family, in 1699.
It might well be within reason that this is the same Leeds family to which the Jersey Devil was born. Atlantic County historian Alfred Heston has also discovered evidence that the family name of Shroud mentioned in some of the accounts may be attributed to a Samuel Shrouds, Sr., who resided in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, in 1735 directly across the river from the house owned by "Mother Leeds". And, Professor Fred MacFadden of Coppin State College in Baltimore, New Jersey, has discovered documents mentioning a "devil" from the Burlington area from as early as 1735.
Curiously enough, MacFadden has also indicated that the term "Burlington" was used to describe the wide region stretching between the actual city of Burlington, New Jersey to the Atlantic coastline, the area today known as the Pine Barrens. This fact, in turn, may support the contention that either Leeds Point, Smithville, or Estelville could by the location mentioned in any one of the variation of the legend which proclaims
"Burlington" as the birthplace of the Jersey Devil.
Of all the variations of the Jersey Devil's origins it is generally agreed that the creature left its birthplace to take up residence in the Pine Barrens of southern NJ, a desolate region covering more then seventeen hundred miles. By most accounts, the baby boy was seemingly normal at birth, but immediately took on a grotesque and hideous appearance.
(Version 1.0)
There are some very good indications that the legend of the Jersey Devil is actually derived from the myths of the Lenni Lenape Indians, who were New Jersey's original inhabitants. Surly James F. McCloy and Ray Miller, Jr tried to justify this link by giving examples of two Indian words, which seem to support this interpretation. These two words do not seem to actually support the connection, as they are words which clearly represent specific things. "Shamong" which means 'place of the horn' actually signifies the abundance of Deer in the area, "Squanqum" which McCloy's Phantom of the Pines translates as 'place of the evil god' is in fact 'place of the evil ghosts' and was a reference to mosquito's.
Although these two words bring some interesting considerations to the Jersey Devil legend we really don't need these rather ominous linkages in order to make a connection to Indian beliefs. Within the Lenni Lenape tradition there was a deity known as Mising (Misinghalikum), and according to the book 'Religion and Ceremonies of the Lenape' by M.R. Harrington the Mising was a sky god whose main function was quite ironically, the protection of crops, wildlife, and children.
One settler is reported to describe the ritual performed by the Lenape and Mising itself, which he describes as a hideous mask worn by a particularly nimble dancer (who was required to leap over fences, fire, other dancers etc), complete with a bearskin covering which includes leggings and a cap. It is interesting that some of the eyewitness accounts associated with the Jersey Devil describe it as a humanoid "Big Foot/hairy man" like creature. Another facet of the Mising legend which is clearly represented within the tales of the Jersey Devil, is the fact that parents of Indian children would often tell them, "If you don't behave, Mising will carry you off in a bag full of snakes." which is a statement that is very familiar to many older people in certain New Jersey towns, as something which they had heard from their own parent when they were young.
(Version 1.1)
One of the possible explanations for the creation of the Jersey Devil legend is found in history and in direct connection to the Leeds family. These facts concern the birth of a child within the Leeds family who may have suffered from mental or physical deformity. In those times any kind of mental or physical deficiency were often associated with the Devil, one such unfortunate soul was born to William and Dorothea Leeds, and his name was Daniel Leeds (named after his brother who arrived in America in 1678, and who was the progenitor of all Leedses born in the new world).
Daniels older brother William Jr left in his will instructions for dealing with, what he referred to as, "My weak minded and helpless brother Daniel Leeds". This assertion is actually supported by history, a search through the genealogy records of the Leeds family revealed the following:
Children of William Leeds:
Jonathan 1718
Mary 1727
William Jr. 1739
Thomas 1742
and
Daniel (1676?-1740?) a weak and helpless child -No record of when he died
William Leeds was reported to be a pirate and personal friend of the famous Captain Kidd, and that he had earned or and illegally acquired a great fortune which was said to have invested wisely. I don't think it has ever been suggested before but perhaps the birth of his supposedly "deformed" child was a curse put on him as retribution for is illegal and criminal activities. It is also known that there were several disputes between the Leedses and some other family's. This is particularly interesting in that "land" is often at the heart of the Jersey Devil legend, whether its the creatures birth at a specific location (Leeds Point, Burlington etc) or even the very geographical origins of the Leeds family, having originally come to America from Leeds, England in 1676. It is also interesting that the date of the will in regards to William's brother Daniel Leeds was 1735.
(Version 1.2)
The earliest story involves a Mother Leeds (no first name mentioned originally), of Leeds Point. Sometime in the early 1700's, pregnant with her 13th child, she cursed: "Let it be the devil!" Her wish was fulfilled. Soon after delivering a seemingly healthy baby, she saw its pink, chubby body mutating into a reptilian form.
(Version 1.3)
One variant of the above account keeps many of the details associated with the Jersey Devil's birth with the exception of its appearance. Here the baby is already a monster at birth.
The story represented within the fist two variations is a follows: Mother Leeds who lived in either Burlington or Leeds point, was already having great difficulty raising multiple children (12) grew even more distraught when she learned that another child was on its way. In her fear of being burdened even more she called out a curse against her unborn child, asking for it to be a devil. According to this early rendition of the legend, one dark night in 1735 Mrs Leeds labor began, the weather outside was cold, with severe winds and lightening. Local midwives gathered around her bed in preparation for the deliver of a seemingly healthy baby boy. Immediately after its birth the young boy began to change, hearing the ungodly noises of this transformation Mr Leeds and the other children came running into the room.
The infants body extended to a ghastly serpentine length as its face elongated into a horse's face, wings sprouted from its shoulder blades, horns emerged from its head. The creature now had a a long serpent/devil's tail, it also had claws and hooves for feat. By all accounts the creature was immense, larger then an adult male and apparently extremely powerful. The initial legend seems to suggest that its wings were very large and so powerful that they enabled the creature to fly into the air. After attacking its "relatives" with its tail, and at least partially devouring several others, the giant creature flew out of the house by way of the chimney.
[As it was stated before the only difference between the legend above '1.0' and its variant '1.1' is that the child was already a monster at birth.]
(Version 1.4)
The article in the May edition of the 1859 Atlantic Monthly contained one of the earliest known written re-telling of the Jersey Devil legend. This was also the fiat time the year 1735 was mentioned in connection with the legend, the article mentions Burlington an d tell the story of one Mrs Leeds who was suspected of being involved with Witchcraft. Once again she gave birth on a stormy night and although the account suggests that the infant was normal at birth, its transformation seemed more immediate. This time the creature seemed to be much smaller then the older accounts, as there is no mention of the beast being of any particularly impressive size.
Once again the baby grew into a grotesque monstrosity with a horses face, bat-like wings an d a serpents tail, its father was said to be the Prince of darkness himself. The Jersey Devil escaped through a window, to devour children, violate females and viciously attack men. In this rendition a priest is called to perform a ritual and successfully ban the beast from appearing for a period of 100 years.
There are several hints as to this relatively late rendition of the Jersey Devil legend. The inclusion of details such as the association of Witchcraft with the legend, which before then had never been linked to the original stories. Taken these facts into consideration we must conclude that this version is indeed a late addition to the legend.
(Version 1.5)
Another rendition says that Mother Leeds had kept the deformed child hidden away from prying eyes and perhaps out of shame. These next few additions also pin down the 1735 date for the alleged birthday of the creature.
(Version 1.6)
Another retelling by Peggy Dorsey of Ocean City indicates that due to Mrs Leeds weakened condition from so many childbirths and inflicted with failing eyesight, she felt no need to keep the deformed child hidden away, since she couldn't actually see her child's deformities herself. The blue coat that the beast child would ware during their walks; flapping about from the wind, was eventually mistaken for bat wings. As it got older and its deformity became increasingly evident, the child was kept in the attic. One fateful night 4 - 20 years later, powerful gusts of wind blew the window open, through which the "creature" escaped. Several years later in the 1740's a clergyman was called to banish the beast with Bell, Book, and Candle.
(Version 1.7)
An updated version of the legend says that Mrs Leeds and her husband lived in Evesham, but this particular Mrs Leeds go by the name of Ann Archer Leeds. This rendition was sent to a newspaper by an anonymous elderly person, who prefaced his tale with, "I can only tell you the story as it has come down through the generations from over a hundred years."
Ann was a 19 year old wild girl and life of the party, she was also said to be a bit full of herself, described by the anonymous story teller as a 'holy terror'. Ann Archer married a respectable man by the name of Robert Leeds, this dis little to slow her down. Right up to the night before she gave birth, Mrs Leeds raised her hands in the air and proclaimed "I hope it will be a devil" She never saw her child as the attending nurse indicated that child was a monstrous deformed creature which immediately flew out the window. The devil child settled in the Evesham woods and became a holy terror itself.
The Evesham Devil was described as being three feet high, with the body and limbs of a large child. It had large powerful wings, a round,, owl-like head, and a diabolic human face featuring large, round, shining eyes. But the creature was reported to be "beautifully feathered," with a black spot near the tip of each feather. The devil could not talk, but was able to, if one were ti get too close, let out horrifying yell. Interestingly this particular description of the Jersey Devil was a precursor to the traditional description of the creature.
(Version 1.8)
There is also an Atlantic City version of the main Jersey Devil legend, this accounting is suspect and may very well be a modern interpretation. Supposedly sometime in the 1800's Mrs Leeds gave birth to a misshapen devil child, this creature roamed the house for a long time. One day a window was left open and the Jersey Devil escaped into the sand dunes of the Pine Barrens. Night after night Mrs Leeds would seek out her wayward son and feed him, and each night she came back bloody, scratched and abused. Mrs Leeds did this dutifully every night, despite warning from other family members, this account however gives no indication of when these self sacrificing actions stopped.
(Version 1.9)
Another tale from Leeds Point holds that the child was cursed by local townspeople because it was the product of a traitorous affair between the daughter of an American patriot and a British soldier during the War of Independence.....or in other versions a Hessian. This was said to take place in the year 1778.
(Version 2.0)
Still another account from Burlington, New Jersey, contends that the Jersey Devil was the result of the sexual union between a local witch and Satan himself.
(Version 2.1)
A different version of the curse explanation above revolved around a clergyman who was mistreated by a member of the Leeds family and that the birth of Jersey Devil was retribution.
(Version 2.2)
The least common origin story associated with the Jersey Devil legend is that of a prank gone wrong, one such episode took place on Halloween night in 1830. The case involved a man by the name of John Vliet, a New Jersey Assemblyman from Warren County (according to Warren County historical records from 1828-1829). Though there is still some debate as to this being the same John Vliet.
In early October 1830 Vleit was walking down Broadway street in New York when he noticed some strange masks in a shop window that were for sale. After buying one as a lark he took it home to his family, soon the novelty wore off and the mask was handed over to a farmhand named Jack Sutton. The farmhand decided to have a little fun of his own with the mask. That night a man named Squire Fleming was walking down the street when he felt something pulling at his coattails. Quickly turning around he found himself face to face with a horrible monster (Jack Sutton decked out with the mask and a white sheet), the terrified Fleming took off down the street.
The next victim was Morris Commins, he also took off screaming, this time running into the nearby hotel. By this time the mysterious menace was established as the Jersey Devil, both Commins and Fleming having told a room full of people about their recent experience. The Devil (Jack Sutton) made a big mistake in choosing a strong and fearless carpenter by the name of Richard Hall as his next victim. As he walked down the same street where the other encounters occurred, the terrifying beast jumped out and started barking at him, but unlike the other victims Richard did not turn and run away in fear. Instead Richard Hall broke off a piece of a picket fence and began to beat the creature with it, which immediately called out, "Don't kill me, I'm Jack Sutton" Richard took note of the name and after beating the Jersey Devil with the broken fence a few more times, he walked off down the street.
(Version 2.3)
Still another variation from about 1850 holds that the mother of the Jersey Devil was cursed by a gypsy. Here the naming of the creature is associated with a location, after the Jersey Devil was born to the young Jersey girl it fled into the Pine Barrens. After this it was often spotted in Leeds Point and because of this it acquired the name of the Leeds Devil.
(Version 2.4)
Out of all the towns claiming to be the birthplace of the Jersey Devil, Leeds Point is the most significant. In the 1930s one Mrs. Carrie Bowen claimed that a particular house on Scott's Landing Road belonging to a Mrs Shourds was the real birthplace of the Jersey Devil, not the Leeds house. Three other house on the same street are also believed by some to be the birthplace of the creature.
(Version 2.5)
Another woman named Georgiana Blake, also in the 1930s indicated that the Jersey Devil was born in her home town of Pleasantville. The building which she pointed out stood on the 500 block of South main street. Mrs Blake also divulges three important facts about the Jersey Devil, the first being that the scream that was heard as it left its birthplace is the same way the creature sounds when making an appearance. The second interesting bit of information is that the Jersey Devil is a harbinger of evil and whenever he appears disastrous events occur. Lastly, that the creature appears every seven years.
(Version 2.6)
Mrs Underhill insists that the Jersey Devil was really born along the Mullica River. In this version of its birth the parents of the Jersey Devil were actually Jane Leeds Johnson and Jake Johnson. His activities in this area seem to revolve around running back and forth on to of fences between the Underhill house and Leeds Lane.
(Version 2.7)
One of the more unusual versions of the Jersey Devil's birth is the claim that there were two devils born, twins. Another rendition of this tale state that only one of them was a devil, the other normal. This version first appeared in a doctrinal dissertation from the 1940s called "Folktales and Legends from the New Jersey Pines: A collection and a study" by Herbert Halbert. This information came from three individuals living in Burlington, Elvin Sweet, James D. Eastlaw, and Mrs Henry Parks. One of the twins was smothered ands the other escaped out the window to live the rest of its unnatural life kin the Pine Barrens.
(Version 2.8)
This version appeared once more in 1967 in an article of the Asbury Park Press. It was sent in a letter to E. Burke Maloney and was postmarked Linwood, New Jersey, but was sent anonymously. It was simply signed "One who Knows." The spelling is taken directly from the letter:
"The Leeds Devil was a twin...She hoped to God thime it would be twins and both be devils. She had twin boys they smothered one to death between featherbeds. The other got away. I know this is a true story as my grandmother delivered them. She said they were very hard to hold. She said there toes and fingers were very long (know tail)? They had winds on their shoulderblades. There eyes were large and close together."
(Version 2.9)
A Lenape Indian's wife sleeps with a white man and for this insult he cursed his wife, who had become pregnant with the "white devil's" child. The result of this union was a creature which came to be known as the Jersey Devil. This story came from a student at Cook Collage, Rutgers University in the 1970s.
(Version 3.0)
The Devil's form has been suggested to be the blending of human and devil, as are gothic gargoyles. Jersey Devil lore began in the region about 1735 shortly after Ben Franklin's fictitious story in the Pennsylvania Gazette about a Burlington County witchcraft trial. Early folk belief was often at odds with religious or scientific doctrine of the period.
The Jersey Devil is unique in the world of cryptozoology in that there are a multiple origin stories revolving around the creature, no less then 10 different and varying accounts of its birthplace, parents, and relatives. As a regional being the Jersey Devil seems to have its origins in every imaginable town in the southern part of New Jersey, almost every town has it's own version of the myth. The dates of its birth span several decades as well, making it quite a task to determine its true origins, these specific dates are 1735, 1779, 1800, 1830, 1850,1855, 1884, and as late as 1887. Interestingly the Jersey Devil is one of the oldest cryptids, its origins stretch nearly 100 years before such famous cryptids as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and many others.
Of all the townships associated and reputed to be the birthplace of the Jersey Devil it is the town of Burlington and a small section of Galloway township known as Leeds Point, and of these it is Leeds Point which is most often mentioned. The most obvious element common to all of the variations is the name of "Leeds", which arguably may be the mother's surname or the stated birthplace of Leeds Point, New Jersey. The name appears in most all known accounts of the legend and may have some basis in the historical record. Existing documents clearly show that the family of one Daniel Leeds took up residence at Leeds Point, presumably named for this family, in 1699.
It might well be within reason that this is the same Leeds family to which the Jersey Devil was born. Atlantic County historian Alfred Heston has also discovered evidence that the family name of Shroud mentioned in some of the accounts may be attributed to a Samuel Shrouds, Sr., who resided in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, in 1735 directly across the river from the house owned by "Mother Leeds". And, Professor Fred MacFadden of Coppin State College in Baltimore, New Jersey, has discovered documents mentioning a "devil" from the Burlington area from as early as 1735.
Curiously enough, MacFadden has also indicated that the term "Burlington" was used to describe the wide region stretching between the actual city of Burlington, New Jersey to the Atlantic coastline, the area today known as the Pine Barrens. This fact, in turn, may support the contention that either Leeds Point, Smithville, or Estelville could by the location mentioned in any one of the variation of the legend which proclaims
"Burlington" as the birthplace of the Jersey Devil.
Of all the variations of the Jersey Devil's origins it is generally agreed that the creature left its birthplace to take up residence in the Pine Barrens of southern NJ, a desolate region covering more then seventeen hundred miles. By most accounts, the baby boy was seemingly normal at birth, but immediately took on a grotesque and hideous appearance.
(Version 1.0)
There are some very good indications that the legend of the Jersey Devil is actually derived from the myths of the Lenni Lenape Indians, who were New Jersey's original inhabitants. Surly James F. McCloy and Ray Miller, Jr tried to justify this link by giving examples of two Indian words, which seem to support this interpretation. These two words do not seem to actually support the connection, as they are words which clearly represent specific things. "Shamong" which means 'place of the horn' actually signifies the abundance of Deer in the area, "Squanqum" which McCloy's Phantom of the Pines translates as 'place of the evil god' is in fact 'place of the evil ghosts' and was a reference to mosquito's.
Although these two words bring some interesting considerations to the Jersey Devil legend we really don't need these rather ominous linkages in order to make a connection to Indian beliefs. Within the Lenni Lenape tradition there was a deity known as Mising (Misinghalikum), and according to the book 'Religion and Ceremonies of the Lenape' by M.R. Harrington the Mising was a sky god whose main function was quite ironically, the protection of crops, wildlife, and children.
One settler is reported to describe the ritual performed by the Lenape and Mising itself, which he describes as a hideous mask worn by a particularly nimble dancer (who was required to leap over fences, fire, other dancers etc), complete with a bearskin covering which includes leggings and a cap. It is interesting that some of the eyewitness accounts associated with the Jersey Devil describe it as a humanoid "Big Foot/hairy man" like creature. Another facet of the Mising legend which is clearly represented within the tales of the Jersey Devil, is the fact that parents of Indian children would often tell them, "If you don't behave, Mising will carry you off in a bag full of snakes." which is a statement that is very familiar to many older people in certain New Jersey towns, as something which they had heard from their own parent when they were young.
(Version 1.1)
One of the possible explanations for the creation of the Jersey Devil legend is found in history and in direct connection to the Leeds family. These facts concern the birth of a child within the Leeds family who may have suffered from mental or physical deformity. In those times any kind of mental or physical deficiency were often associated with the Devil, one such unfortunate soul was born to William and Dorothea Leeds, and his name was Daniel Leeds (named after his brother who arrived in America in 1678, and who was the progenitor of all Leedses born in the new world).
Daniels older brother William Jr left in his will instructions for dealing with, what he referred to as, "My weak minded and helpless brother Daniel Leeds". This assertion is actually supported by history, a search through the genealogy records of the Leeds family revealed the following:
Children of William Leeds:
Jonathan 1718
Mary 1727
William Jr. 1739
Thomas 1742
and
Daniel (1676?-1740?) a weak and helpless child -No record of when he died
William Leeds was reported to be a pirate and personal friend of the famous Captain Kidd, and that he had earned or and illegally acquired a great fortune which was said to have invested wisely. I don't think it has ever been suggested before but perhaps the birth of his supposedly "deformed" child was a curse put on him as retribution for is illegal and criminal activities. It is also known that there were several disputes between the Leedses and some other family's. This is particularly interesting in that "land" is often at the heart of the Jersey Devil legend, whether its the creatures birth at a specific location (Leeds Point, Burlington etc) or even the very geographical origins of the Leeds family, having originally come to America from Leeds, England in 1676. It is also interesting that the date of the will in regards to William's brother Daniel Leeds was 1735.
(Version 1.2)
The earliest story involves a Mother Leeds (no first name mentioned originally), of Leeds Point. Sometime in the early 1700's, pregnant with her 13th child, she cursed: "Let it be the devil!" Her wish was fulfilled. Soon after delivering a seemingly healthy baby, she saw its pink, chubby body mutating into a reptilian form.
(Version 1.3)
One variant of the above account keeps many of the details associated with the Jersey Devil's birth with the exception of its appearance. Here the baby is already a monster at birth.
The story represented within the fist two variations is a follows: Mother Leeds who lived in either Burlington or Leeds point, was already having great difficulty raising multiple children (12) grew even more distraught when she learned that another child was on its way. In her fear of being burdened even more she called out a curse against her unborn child, asking for it to be a devil. According to this early rendition of the legend, one dark night in 1735 Mrs Leeds labor began, the weather outside was cold, with severe winds and lightening. Local midwives gathered around her bed in preparation for the deliver of a seemingly healthy baby boy. Immediately after its birth the young boy began to change, hearing the ungodly noises of this transformation Mr Leeds and the other children came running into the room.
The infants body extended to a ghastly serpentine length as its face elongated into a horse's face, wings sprouted from its shoulder blades, horns emerged from its head. The creature now had a a long serpent/devil's tail, it also had claws and hooves for feat. By all accounts the creature was immense, larger then an adult male and apparently extremely powerful. The initial legend seems to suggest that its wings were very large and so powerful that they enabled the creature to fly into the air. After attacking its "relatives" with its tail, and at least partially devouring several others, the giant creature flew out of the house by way of the chimney.
[As it was stated before the only difference between the legend above '1.0' and its variant '1.1' is that the child was already a monster at birth.]
(Version 1.4)
The article in the May edition of the 1859 Atlantic Monthly contained one of the earliest known written re-telling of the Jersey Devil legend. This was also the fiat time the year 1735 was mentioned in connection with the legend, the article mentions Burlington an d tell the story of one Mrs Leeds who was suspected of being involved with Witchcraft. Once again she gave birth on a stormy night and although the account suggests that the infant was normal at birth, its transformation seemed more immediate. This time the creature seemed to be much smaller then the older accounts, as there is no mention of the beast being of any particularly impressive size.
Once again the baby grew into a grotesque monstrosity with a horses face, bat-like wings an d a serpents tail, its father was said to be the Prince of darkness himself. The Jersey Devil escaped through a window, to devour children, violate females and viciously attack men. In this rendition a priest is called to perform a ritual and successfully ban the beast from appearing for a period of 100 years.
There are several hints as to this relatively late rendition of the Jersey Devil legend. The inclusion of details such as the association of Witchcraft with the legend, which before then had never been linked to the original stories. Taken these facts into consideration we must conclude that this version is indeed a late addition to the legend.
(Version 1.5)
Another rendition says that Mother Leeds had kept the deformed child hidden away from prying eyes and perhaps out of shame. These next few additions also pin down the 1735 date for the alleged birthday of the creature.
(Version 1.6)
Another retelling by Peggy Dorsey of Ocean City indicates that due to Mrs Leeds weakened condition from so many childbirths and inflicted with failing eyesight, she felt no need to keep the deformed child hidden away, since she couldn't actually see her child's deformities herself. The blue coat that the beast child would ware during their walks; flapping about from the wind, was eventually mistaken for bat wings. As it got older and its deformity became increasingly evident, the child was kept in the attic. One fateful night 4 - 20 years later, powerful gusts of wind blew the window open, through which the "creature" escaped. Several years later in the 1740's a clergyman was called to banish the beast with Bell, Book, and Candle.
(Version 1.7)
An updated version of the legend says that Mrs Leeds and her husband lived in Evesham, but this particular Mrs Leeds go by the name of Ann Archer Leeds. This rendition was sent to a newspaper by an anonymous elderly person, who prefaced his tale with, "I can only tell you the story as it has come down through the generations from over a hundred years."
Ann was a 19 year old wild girl and life of the party, she was also said to be a bit full of herself, described by the anonymous story teller as a 'holy terror'. Ann Archer married a respectable man by the name of Robert Leeds, this dis little to slow her down. Right up to the night before she gave birth, Mrs Leeds raised her hands in the air and proclaimed "I hope it will be a devil" She never saw her child as the attending nurse indicated that child was a monstrous deformed creature which immediately flew out the window. The devil child settled in the Evesham woods and became a holy terror itself.
The Evesham Devil was described as being three feet high, with the body and limbs of a large child. It had large powerful wings, a round,, owl-like head, and a diabolic human face featuring large, round, shining eyes. But the creature was reported to be "beautifully feathered," with a black spot near the tip of each feather. The devil could not talk, but was able to, if one were ti get too close, let out horrifying yell. Interestingly this particular description of the Jersey Devil was a precursor to the traditional description of the creature.
(Version 1.8)
There is also an Atlantic City version of the main Jersey Devil legend, this accounting is suspect and may very well be a modern interpretation. Supposedly sometime in the 1800's Mrs Leeds gave birth to a misshapen devil child, this creature roamed the house for a long time. One day a window was left open and the Jersey Devil escaped into the sand dunes of the Pine Barrens. Night after night Mrs Leeds would seek out her wayward son and feed him, and each night she came back bloody, scratched and abused. Mrs Leeds did this dutifully every night, despite warning from other family members, this account however gives no indication of when these self sacrificing actions stopped.
(Version 1.9)
Another tale from Leeds Point holds that the child was cursed by local townspeople because it was the product of a traitorous affair between the daughter of an American patriot and a British soldier during the War of Independence.....or in other versions a Hessian. This was said to take place in the year 1778.
(Version 2.0)
Still another account from Burlington, New Jersey, contends that the Jersey Devil was the result of the sexual union between a local witch and Satan himself.
(Version 2.1)
A different version of the curse explanation above revolved around a clergyman who was mistreated by a member of the Leeds family and that the birth of Jersey Devil was retribution.
(Version 2.2)
The least common origin story associated with the Jersey Devil legend is that of a prank gone wrong, one such episode took place on Halloween night in 1830. The case involved a man by the name of John Vliet, a New Jersey Assemblyman from Warren County (according to Warren County historical records from 1828-1829). Though there is still some debate as to this being the same John Vliet.
In early October 1830 Vleit was walking down Broadway street in New York when he noticed some strange masks in a shop window that were for sale. After buying one as a lark he took it home to his family, soon the novelty wore off and the mask was handed over to a farmhand named Jack Sutton. The farmhand decided to have a little fun of his own with the mask. That night a man named Squire Fleming was walking down the street when he felt something pulling at his coattails. Quickly turning around he found himself face to face with a horrible monster (Jack Sutton decked out with the mask and a white sheet), the terrified Fleming took off down the street.
The next victim was Morris Commins, he also took off screaming, this time running into the nearby hotel. By this time the mysterious menace was established as the Jersey Devil, both Commins and Fleming having told a room full of people about their recent experience. The Devil (Jack Sutton) made a big mistake in choosing a strong and fearless carpenter by the name of Richard Hall as his next victim. As he walked down the same street where the other encounters occurred, the terrifying beast jumped out and started barking at him, but unlike the other victims Richard did not turn and run away in fear. Instead Richard Hall broke off a piece of a picket fence and began to beat the creature with it, which immediately called out, "Don't kill me, I'm Jack Sutton" Richard took note of the name and after beating the Jersey Devil with the broken fence a few more times, he walked off down the street.
(Version 2.3)
Still another variation from about 1850 holds that the mother of the Jersey Devil was cursed by a gypsy. Here the naming of the creature is associated with a location, after the Jersey Devil was born to the young Jersey girl it fled into the Pine Barrens. After this it was often spotted in Leeds Point and because of this it acquired the name of the Leeds Devil.
(Version 2.4)
Out of all the towns claiming to be the birthplace of the Jersey Devil, Leeds Point is the most significant. In the 1930s one Mrs. Carrie Bowen claimed that a particular house on Scott's Landing Road belonging to a Mrs Shourds was the real birthplace of the Jersey Devil, not the Leeds house. Three other house on the same street are also believed by some to be the birthplace of the creature.
(Version 2.5)
Another woman named Georgiana Blake, also in the 1930s indicated that the Jersey Devil was born in her home town of Pleasantville. The building which she pointed out stood on the 500 block of South main street. Mrs Blake also divulges three important facts about the Jersey Devil, the first being that the scream that was heard as it left its birthplace is the same way the creature sounds when making an appearance. The second interesting bit of information is that the Jersey Devil is a harbinger of evil and whenever he appears disastrous events occur. Lastly, that the creature appears every seven years.
(Version 2.6)
Mrs Underhill insists that the Jersey Devil was really born along the Mullica River. In this version of its birth the parents of the Jersey Devil were actually Jane Leeds Johnson and Jake Johnson. His activities in this area seem to revolve around running back and forth on to of fences between the Underhill house and Leeds Lane.
(Version 2.7)
One of the more unusual versions of the Jersey Devil's birth is the claim that there were two devils born, twins. Another rendition of this tale state that only one of them was a devil, the other normal. This version first appeared in a doctrinal dissertation from the 1940s called "Folktales and Legends from the New Jersey Pines: A collection and a study" by Herbert Halbert. This information came from three individuals living in Burlington, Elvin Sweet, James D. Eastlaw, and Mrs Henry Parks. One of the twins was smothered ands the other escaped out the window to live the rest of its unnatural life kin the Pine Barrens.
(Version 2.8)
This version appeared once more in 1967 in an article of the Asbury Park Press. It was sent in a letter to E. Burke Maloney and was postmarked Linwood, New Jersey, but was sent anonymously. It was simply signed "One who Knows." The spelling is taken directly from the letter:
"The Leeds Devil was a twin...She hoped to God thime it would be twins and both be devils. She had twin boys they smothered one to death between featherbeds. The other got away. I know this is a true story as my grandmother delivered them. She said they were very hard to hold. She said there toes and fingers were very long (know tail)? They had winds on their shoulderblades. There eyes were large and close together."
(Version 2.9)
A Lenape Indian's wife sleeps with a white man and for this insult he cursed his wife, who had become pregnant with the "white devil's" child. The result of this union was a creature which came to be known as the Jersey Devil. This story came from a student at Cook Collage, Rutgers University in the 1970s.
(Version 3.0)
The Devil's form has been suggested to be the blending of human and devil, as are gothic gargoyles. Jersey Devil lore began in the region about 1735 shortly after Ben Franklin's fictitious story in the Pennsylvania Gazette about a Burlington County witchcraft trial. Early folk belief was often at odds with religious or scientific doctrine of the period.