New Jersey Devil
The Legend of the Jersey Devil
It lurks deep amidst the woods of The New Jersey Pine Barrens. Some say they’ve seen it. But most have only heard tales of this mythical beast. The New Jersey Devil has captivated the imaginations of people across New Jersey and beyond for the past 300 years.
Stories of the Jersey Devil trace back to Deborah Smith who came to the Pinelands of New Jersey from England in the 1700s and married a Mr. Leeds. Mrs. Leeds unintentionally provoked the devil during the painful delivery of her 13th child. As one Jersey Devil legend goes, the baby grew into a full-grown devil and escaped from the house.
Additional versions of the Jersey Devil fable…
- The New Jersey Devil was the result of a family curse placed upon Deborah Smith.
- Mrs. Leeds, a Quaker, refused to convert from the Quaker faith, angering a clergyman who had been trying to convert her. He was so angry that he insisted her next child would be an offspring of Satan – and the New Jersey Devil was born.
- Another version of the legend of the Jersey Devil is that the child was born a monster and that Mrs. Leeds cared for the child until her death. Apparently, the child/devil fled into the New Jersey Pine Barrens after Mrs. Leeds passed.
New Jersey Devil Sightings
Since the passing of Mother Leeds, there have been numerous Jersey Devil sightings – and residents often describe moaning and wailing that can be heard coming from deep within the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Are you prepared to take your next camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens to hunt down the Jersey Devil?
|
