Is the Jersey Devil real? Is it an alien, a mutation or a figment of the imagination? Without a doubt, the Jersey Devil is by far the most popular folklore legend in New Jersey. The earliest accounts of the creature date back to stories told by Native Americans prior to the white man's settlement here. The Lenape Indians called the Pine Barrens "Popuessing", meaning"place of the dragon".
The most popular story is that the Jersey Devil was born in 1735, the 13th child of a woman whose character was questionable, named Leeds or Shrouds. The identity of the father varies from the woman's brother, a town minister and a British soldier to Satan himself. The story goes something like, during labor the woman cursed the child saying," This one might as well go to the devil for all I care!". Shortly after birth, the deformed creature flew up the chimney and has been on the rampage in Southern New Jersey and surrounding areas ever since.
The most popular story is that the Jersey Devil was born in 1735, the 13th child of a woman whose character was questionable, named Leeds or Shrouds. The identity of the father varies from the woman's brother, a town minister and a British soldier to Satan himself. The story goes something like, during labor the woman cursed the child saying," This one might as well go to the devil for all I care!". Shortly after birth, the deformed creature flew up the chimney and has been on the rampage in Southern New Jersey and surrounding areas ever since.