This article is an overview of the legendary Jersey Devil. A winged horse-headed monster that haunts the southern New Jersey marshes
The origin of this popular legend can be traced to Leeds Point, New Jersey in 1735. The folk tale states that it came into being when a Mrs. Leeds, after learning she was pregnant for the 13th time, stated that the child might as well be a devil. Accordingly, she got her wish. The creature she gave birth to presented itself as a creature with the wings of a bat, the head of a horse, and had cloven hoofs and a tail. Shortly after its birth it flew off into New Jersey's pine barrens and has lived there ever since. It makes its presence know through leaving its distinctive footprints to be found, strange eerie cries heard in the night, mysterious cattle deaths, and on occasion a sighting. Originally it was known as the Leeds Devil and in modern times as the Jersey Devil.
Unlike other folklore legends, over 100 persons in 30 different towns had sighted the Jersey Devil as it went on a modern day rampage in southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.
This modern day rampage began in the early morning hours on Sunday, January 17th 1909. E.W. Minister, the postmaster of Bristol, Pennsylvania sighted the devil as a glowing apparition flying over the Delaware River. He described it as having a Ram's head with curled horns, long thin wings, and short legs, the rear legs being longer than the front legs. It emitted cries, which sounded like a combined squawk and whistle. There were 2 others that observed this creature that night; one was a police officer that fired at it.
The next sighting occurred the following evening (Jan. 18th). A policeman in Burlington, New Jersey observed the creature. He described the creature as a "Jabberwock" with glowing eyes. Later that evening, town residents began to report finding strange footprints in the snow.
At 6:00 A.M. the following morning in Burlington, a Mrs. Michael Ryan sighted the creature as it prowled through an alley. Her description gave the creature the head of a horse with long bird-like legs and short wings.
Two days later the creature made another appearance this time in a Philadelphia woman's back yard. Mrs. Davis A. White said she encountered the creature at about 4:00 P.M. Her description included alligator skin and breathing fire. Her screams brought her husband to her rescue. He chased the beast a distance and it was almost hit by a trolley car. Another report from a Salem policeman later that evening concluded the night's activities for the devil.
This rampage ended with a report of firemen in West Collingswood dousing it with water. The report goes on to say that the enraged creature swooped down on them and then fled as the firemen ran.
Over the years since the rampage of 1909, there have been periodic sightings. However only the events during that week in January could give good cause to consider the Jersey Devil as anything other than a legend. Today, we have no way of determining exactly what did or did not happen. It would have been much more impressive if the witnesses' testimony had described essentially the same creature rather than varied assortment of mythical creatures.
