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I found this artical and became very cerious, and wondered who else heard of the new jersey devil, what storys have you heard, and do you find any of them to seem fact, if so why. or have you gone there and witnessed anything.


©Sandy Sandy




The most common folktale is that the Jersey Devil is the offspring of one Mrs. Leeds, who, in 1735, after hearing she was pregnant with her 13th child, was overheard saying "it might just as well be a devil as a child." Devil it was, and it flew directly from womb to the swamps, cursing it's mother on the way out the chimney.

The Devil eventually began to enjoy status of local legend, (and even became the state's "official demon" in the 1930's) tales of his beginnings filling the conversations of pubs and churches alike.

Descriptions of the Devil range from a "flying lion" to "an eagle with four legs" and everything in-between, but one attribute that does not change from report to report is the Devil's call, a combination howl and whistle. When harassing the good people of New Jersey, the Devil would eat livestock, attempt to steal children, and scare the bejezus out of everyone in the process, often leaving cloven footprints to corroborate the stories of startled victims.

Another Version-
The New Jersey Devil to some is a mythical being and to some a reality. The story begins centuries ago with a Quaker woman named Mother Leeds who was involved with a some sort of mysterious evil cult. She had 12 children during that time. However, when she was pregnant with the 13th child, she cursed it to be a devil. Her wish was granted as the newborn emerged normal at first, but then turned into a vile looking creature with horns, wings, and hooves. When it was born it immediately killed the entire family and laid waste to the small quaker town.

Yet Another Version-
According to one legend, the Jersey Devil was born during the American Revolution. The story goes that during the Battle of Chestnut Creek, a lovelorn Leeds Point girl fell for a British soldier. She was cursed by townsfolk for this act of treason and, as a result, later gave birth to the Leeds Devil.

One More Version-
A gypsy curse is also reputed to have brought the creature to the south Jersey woods. In this tale, a young girl, frightened by a vagabond, refused his request for food. All was forgotten until the girl gave birth to her first child, which became the fiendish creature.



Today it is said that this beast has been spotted in small towns near the deep forests in southern Jersey. References state that this short hairy demon lives in the huge preserved forest of the Pine Barrens.

i kinda do belive it dose excists. there have been many sightings and many articals over they years written, if we can exist why not that

I believe it very possible for such a creature to exist but it seems highly improbable that it came to be from the womb of a human woman.

i agree it possible could exist but i dont believe it came from the womb of a human

yeah i dont think my self it came from a woman, im honestly not sure where it came from

The most logical explanation I myself can think up is that the creature was the result of a hybrid mixing of two animals.

that could be a good idea of how it happened

Yes, that legend has been around for years.Mostly what I have heard is the same as you have posted.
While I believe it could be possible that the creature exsists,I dont think it is human,unless it was a child born with severe deformities..And if it were still alive today,it is really friggin old.

There is this really lame movie about it called the 13th Child I believe. I do know some people do believe very much so in this.

I do believe in the Jersey devil, I mean why can't it exist, it was just another human cursed by another.

I've never heard of that before. But I think the 3rd and 4th versions are more likely to be true, if it is in the first place. The first one seems fake all the way around. I don't know if it's the way it's written or not, but whatever it is, I wouldn't trust that source.

I believe their is a jersey devil, their are so many unexplained things in this world, and so many undiscoverd animals...

It's all folklore, I mean, look how many versions of the story there is.

I have never heard of that one before.

Here in the UK various places have called in with reports of odd animal sightings.

I think in the case of the Jersey Devil it is more likely to be a folk tale.

http://www.elktownship.com/myth.html
learn all about it there :)

As many stories and as many people that have been interviewed being a part of the Leeds family line, one has to wonder if something like the Jersey Devil could exist, and with all of the sightings and eye witness accounts, its hard to tell.

I love the story of the jersey devil. As well as the Bell witch (no not the bell witch project that was a total crock and was lame.)Also there are legends of Giant flying moth men and no the moth man prophecy's are not accurate to the stories check out the facts on the net. As It has been mentioned all legends and lores have facts here is a wonderful link (since I have been told if we are going to post stories off the internet we need links)Thanks for posting the link about the jersey devil here's my link this covers big foot,lock ness monster,and several others.
http://www.ufodigest.com/categories.html#crypto
This link goes in to more Detale
and since i love the shadow lands i posted this wonderful tale of the jersey devil.
http://theshadowlands.net/jd.htm

I think I even remember there being an X-files episode about the Jersey Devil but I could be wrong.

I have always had a sort of faith in things unseen..but this leaves me shaking my head in wonder. I just feel that it is not something I would ever truly believe in due to the populated nature of the area it is said to inhabit. Having said that..I really hope I am wrong..mysteries are what keep this world exciting for me!

I've heard about it a lot, yet I didn't know that much about it.

i have never heard of it but i think that there is a jersey devil i mean it can happen its very possible....=]

The Bell Witch http://www.bellwitch.org/home.htm

I have never heard of it....

it sounds to me like a myth/story to scare people i find that with all the different stories hard to believe since the consistency keeps changing. but anything is possible and myths/folklore do usually originate from something one way or another.

I have seen it mentioned around Halloween time on tele.Actually it was on last Halloween on the Travel channel.With several other assorted beasties ,Big Foot, werewovles etc.

It's ok you didn't come across as Anal at all I do not mind being corrected when I am wrong.I can not correct my mistakes If I do not know I have been wrong.Thank you so much for the Correction.And there are lots of stories on the jersy devil some eye wittness accounts.Some people have said they also have pictures of a beast I didn't see anything but a blur.

Do I believe in strange spiritual entities? Yes. Do I think this is one? Probably not. At least if there is one there in the Jersey woodlands it did not come born from a woman.

In colonial times there were lots of tales of demonic forces, every time someone wanted to make somethign sound worse than it was, it was demonic. Whenever someone did something bad, that was the devil's handiwork. Keep in mind this is the same era that gave Salem its infamy. Most likely this results from a mother who had to many childredn, and the 13th one came out terribly deformed, probably from malnutrition or disease. She did not want to keep it, so she said it was a demon. Happened all the time.

The image described in the first account of this story brought something to mind. Ever noticed the biblical description of a seraph/seraphim is having parts of lion, eagle, bull, and a man?? *hmm* Makes you think....

I believe it is to be but do not believe it came from a woman.

if it did not come from a woman then how did the thing become a thing? and then how did the legend start?

this makes me wonder..i can only think of such a creature coming from the womb of a woman..it is not plausible in my case to come from anything other unless it be some form of mystical beast which is to far fetched to believe and i definitely have a hard time believing such a thing would come out of a man*thinks oOo..damn that would hurt!

Personally, I think it is not real. I would attribute any sightings as hysteria, sometimes caused by strong belief in urban legends. It is fun to believe in something creepy like this though!

i have never herad of it

I wonder too sometimes that back in those days when a child was born with deformities if superstitions did not determine the child and mother as being cursed or possibly branding the child demonic. Take the case of Joseph Merrick who had disambiguation, then place a child like that in the culture of the puritans… just a thought.

i kinda do belive it dose excists. there have been many sightings and many articals over they years written, if we can exist

JackofSpades83 yes there was an X-Files episode about this, as a matter of fact it was the pilot episode. As far as the legend goes I believe it may be possible. There have been many creatures over the years that were believed to be myths until fairly recently, one example is the giant squid. Who knows how many others have remained hidden that may soon be caught on tape or actually caught?

I heard such stories. It was mentioned in the book, "Weird New Jersey" ,the series by Moran and Sceurman.

There are various myths surrounding the origins of the Jersey Devil. One of the most popular stories concerns a Mrs Leeds of Estelville, New Jersey, who was upset at the news of her thirteenth pregnancy and is said to have cried out 'may it be a devil!'. They say the child was born hideously deformed with a tail and wings.

Another tale names the mother of the creature as a 'Mother Leeds' of Burlington, New Jersey, who was reputed locally to be a witch. She claimed that the father of the baby was the devil himself. The child was allegedly born normal, only to change later into a winged, hoofed creature and to fly off into the Pine Barrens.

The third most popular story marks the location of the creature's birth as Leeds Point, New Jersey, to a Mrs Shroud after she made the wish that if she ever gave birth again that the child would be a devil. Legend says she got her wish. There are many other stories, but the one thing that seems to connect them all is the name of 'Leeds'.

Belief in witchcraft and evil forces was strong in this time and many people thought a deformed child to be the offspring, or at least the work of, the devil. It is possible that perhaps something as simple as religious belief and ignorance is the basis of the Jersey Devil legend.

I handt hear this one before i checked on wikipedia interesting read

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Devil

I've heard of it but never really heard the story. I never really read or was told the story but I've heard it.

I've heard of it ...dont know much other than it was a Native American story.

Foklore I agree if it was real some one would ve seen or caught it by now lol.

Not real sure but I have read articles about it and the mothman. Somehow I think they are connected. Some would have you make the connection to UFO's and entities that are on vacation from other worlds...lol. Not so sure about that one.

I've heard several different versions of the "jersey devil" story. I think the version you get depends on who you talk to, just like with anything else.

many of the Jersey Devil reports were made because of one of the old 'pineys'. It's pretty funny when you read his books. He would coat himself in mud and mess with people. Doing things like testing people's awareness by standing on the side of the road covered in mud until someone would notice him and he'd just disappear. He would stand on the other side of camp fires until someone would see him, and he'd again disappear. It's really funny hearing the stories from 'the Jersey Devil' himself.

that good be a good idea, sounds interesting

I have heard soo many stories about the Jersey Devil.

I am still having a hard time believing this.

ive heard of it but i really dont belive though

yea never heard of it hmmm interesting though

I have heard of the New Jersey Devil. I have actually watched a few shows about it.

Any thing is possible I guess. (:

Hm.

i dont no mysticmoon looks more like my great granny

The Jersey Devil. Haven't thought about this one since I left Jersey. Well, go down to the Pines in Jersey and everyone can tell you a Jersey Devil story. There have been numerous unconfirmed sitings. I guess one may never really know. But, growing up in Jersey I can tell you, most everyone there has heard something about it. The Mrs. Leads version would have to be the most common I remember.

I have heard of this and believe it to be true , but from where it came from I have no idea . It is an interesting topic and a great story.

First time , I ever heard of it. It could have been a hybrid of two animals. It also could have been some deformed child and the stories got out of hand. People use to believe more in demons and bad spirits. Before science advanced, just about everything bad was caused by demons. Mental illness use to mean possession by the devil or demons.