B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping the story of the Jersey Devil into the ol’ VCR.

Yes friends, we’re back with another edition of Curated Cryptids—the series where I get to talk about the creatures who pique my interests. 

And I have a WILD one for you today. 

That’s right, we’re talking about the Jersey Devil, aka the Leeds Devil. 

This guy is said to look like an amalgamation of animals, but the best way I can describe him is a small camel with bat wings. 

He’s rumored to fly through the skies of Leeds Point, New Jersey, shrieking like a banshee. 

But let’s back up. 

What’s the deal with the Jersey Devil?

According to the legend, it’s…complicated. 

Until the 20th century, the Jersey Devil was known as the Leeds Devil. 

According to the lore, the Leeds Devil was the thirteenth child born to “Mother Leeds” and was either a) the son of the Devil, b) transformed into a devil by his mother’s proclamation, or c) was an unwanted child who was wished into a devil. 

This creature’s story seems to stem from a real family called the Leeds Family, whose patriarch, Daniel, was fascinated by the occult (cool) but staunchly supported the monarch (not cool). 

The Leeds Family garnered quite a reputation amongst the townsfolk between their beliefs and family crest, which included a creature bearing a striking resemblance to the Leeds Devil. 

Now, this is where it gets a little tricky. 

Some research claims that sightings of the Leeds Devil started as early as the late 1700s, but other sources claim that the Leeds Devil didn’t become ingrained in urban legends until the mid-1800s. 

Either way, towards the end of the 19th century, the Leeds Devil had started making his mark on New Jersey lore and going by a new moniker: the Jersey Devil. 

Early reports of the Jersey Devil include the mysterious death of livestock, a car attack (not attacking people IN a car but attacking the car ITSELF), and various sightings of an unknown creature roaming the countryside. 

Over the years, rewards have been offered to capture the creature, and people have even claimed to have its corpse. 

Yes, I’m serious. 

While no sightings or encounters have been verified, the Jersey Devil has still garnered quite the reputation and has been immortalized in pop culture in shows like What We Do In The Shadows, Gravity Falls, and The X-Files. 

So, friends, what do we think?

Is the Jersey Devil the cursed child of Mother Leeds, doomed to wreak havoc across New Jersey, or just a case of mass hysteria?

Either way, the animal lover in me thinks I could teach him to trust people.