The Jersey Devil

by James F. McCloy, Ray Miller

The Jersey Devil , the best-selling book on New Jersey's infamous Jersey Devil with over 75,000 in print. Now back in print this new edition of the classic will bring the tale to a whole new generation. In the course of its extraordinary history, the Jersey Devil has been exorcised, shot, electrocuted, declared dead, and scoffed at as sheer foolishness none of which has had any apparent effect on it or the people who continue to see it. This mysterious creature is said to prowl the lonely sand trails and mist-shrouded marshes of the Pine Barrens, and emerge periodically to rampage through the towns and cities of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The authors point out that while a few appearances have been hoaxes, and other sightings of it have been the result of mass-hysteria, the Jersey Devil has been seen by enough sane, sober, and responsible citizens to keep the possibility of its existence alive today. Many theories about the Jersey Devil's origin are discussed and carefully reviewed and explained by the authors.

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Folklore, Cryptids, Cryptozoology, Horror, Travel

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Co-authors James F. McCloy and Ray Miller, Jr. explore the legend of the Jersey Devil in this immensely engaging folkloric study. Opening with a description of the Devil's native habitat - the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey - they move on to a discussion of the various legends surrounding the Devil's first appearance in the world. The most common of these is that he was a deformed, demonic thirteenth child, born to one Mrs. Leeds in the 1730s, but the authors give other, less well-known origin stories as well. Considerable attention is paid to the week in 1909, when there were dozens of Devil sitings across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, leading to widespread public panic, and subsequent sitings are also discussed. The book closes with some speculations about what the Jersey Devil really is - everything from a Sand Hill Crane, to the product of mass hysteria - as well as a bibliography and index.

I currently live in New Jersey, but I did not grow up here, and I was not aware of the legend of the Jersey Devil until my adulthood. I mourn that loss, as I loved folklore and mythology of all kinds as a girl (and as a woman), and would have been fascinated by this story. Too often, in my opinion, American children are given the folklore of every nationality and group except their own, and this seems a great shame. In any case, I recently did discover this cryptid from the Euro-American tradition, and have enjoyed a few books on the subject, most notably the picture-book retelling from Trinka Hakes Noble, The Legend of the Jersey Devil . I found The Jersey Devil, first published in 1976, to be immensely informative, giving far more information about the subject than the brief Noble retelling. I also found it engaging and well-written, and plan to track down James F. McCloy and Ray Miller Jr.'s subsequent Phantom of the Pines: More Tales of the Jersey Devil , as well as many of the books listed in the bibliography here. It is fascinating to me, that this creature has been seen by so many people over the years, some of them very prominent citizens - Joseph Bonaparte, Commodore Stephen Decatur, numerous police officers, mayors, other prominent citizens - and that is was seen by large groups of people during the incidents in 1909. I appreciated the inclusion of various illustrations of the Devil, over the years, as well as the detailed maps chronicling his sitings.

Highly recommend to all readers interested in the creatures of folklore and myth in general, or in the folklore of New Jersey and the Middle Atlantic in particular.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lifelong resident of New Jersey, I am no stranger to the legend of the Jersey Devil. As a kid, I remember watching a show called Weird Travels which dedicated an episode to the famed Jersey Devil. So convincing was the tale of the Jersey Devil that I frequently feared that it would lurk beyond my windows at night, causing me a great deal of panic and terror. The mere thought of the creature scared the crap out of me back then, and I have had an interest in the mythological being ever since. Luckily for me, I found The Jersey Devil book at a library sale for $1.00 and was then able to pick back up on my interest in the creature from where I had left off so many years ago as a frightened child.

The Jersey Devil chronicles the origins of its titular demon as well as its mischievous exploits throughout the years across New Jersey and neighboring states. The legend is retold here in fascinating detail, reminding me why I found the Jersey Devil so intriguing and terrifying in my youth. As this creature is the stuff of folklore, its origins are as numerous as they are entertaining, and this book does a good job covering the many ways in which the Jersey Devil may have come into being. The most famous and widely accepted origin story is also the most compelling – that long ago in 1735, in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, a woman named Mrs. Leeds gave birth to an accursed thirteenth child who ended up being the Devil himself, or at the very least a demon-spawn of Satan. The tale has been slightly modified and outright altered throughout the many generations since its inception, but the main elements of the legend has always remained the same: there is a sinister creature lurking among the southern forests of New Jersey who has caused numerous acts of violence and destruction over the years.

The real meat of The Jersey Devil book is its section on 1909 and the Jersey Devil's prevalence during that year. Across several states and numerous towns, the elusive creature had been spotted and encountered by dozens of residents. Crimes committed by the Jersey Devil range from mauling animals to death and ravaging crops to simply scaring the life out of passers-by and causing widespread panic. McCloy and Miller Jr. do a great job at retelling the incidents of 1909 in an objective light while simultaneously giving the slightest bit of credence to the possibility that the Jersey Devil may have truly existed in some form or another. Of course, I am certain that this position was only taken up facetiously to enhance the entertainment value of the book and preserve the legend of the Jersey Devil for future generations, but it elevated the book from a mere historical account on the mythological creature into something much more compelling and fun to read, especially for those who may actually believe in the Jersey Devil.

Dispersed across several pages of the book are illustrations and photographs that pertain to the Jersey Devil. The best pictures included were the several artist renditions of what the Jersey Devil could have potentially looked like according to eyewitnesses. These illustrations range from realistic and creepy to cartoonish and dismissive; the dichotomy of believers versus skeptics was made all the more evident through these illustrations. Of course, since the Jersey Devil is so “elusive” (i.e. not real) there are no photographs of the creature itself, but that just adds to its mystique!

Aside from a few grammatical errors I spotted along the way (could just be my copy), I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading The Jersey Devil and have little to complain about. I am glad I finally got around to reading up on the most famous folklore legend of my home state; I am now a more complete New Jerseyan because of it! Although this publication is a bit outdated, only covering the history and sightings of the Jersey Devil up until the early 1970s, this book acted as a great introduction to the famed creature of New Jersey and certainly did not disappoint.

[Sam Sciarrotta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of reminded me of the way Michael Caine does a dead-serious Scrooge accompanied by Muppets

[S.L. Baron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book about a decade (or more) ago at Atlantic Books on the Ocean City boardwalk because I wanted to know more about the creature who lurked The Pine Barrens where I grew up. I read it way back then and had the urge to read it again.

This book is full of different origin stories of the Jersey Devil (though the story of Mrs. Leeds cursing her 13th child will always be my go-to), accounts of sightings, and theories as to what it is.

I love that the Jersey Devil visited my hometown of Dorothy in 1960! That was something I didn’t know about until I read this, but it adds a little spooky to the woods where I played as a child and makes me want to explore them anew when I can visit.

This book is a good place to start if you’d like to learn more about the Jersey Devil.

[Dylan Freno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative about the history of the legend: really puts all of it there for the reader in a relatively objective light, while still feeling entertaining and quick enough that it was a worthwhile read

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having moved down to south jersey from Bergen County...I figured it's time to get into the lore of the state. This is my first book on the Jersey Devil or Leeds Devil. A very quick read, with photos and illustrations. There are a few tales of the "devil's" origination. I'm still tickled it was a subjecy for The X Files television show.

Driving down here on NJ's back roads, with none of the streetlights that I'm used to from up North, I wouldn't doubt something could, maybe still exist..... It is pretty scary down here in the Pinelands....No one is sure. :)

[Einar Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the first decade of the 1900s, the number of UFO sightings in Alberta increased rapidly, according to an article I reviewed many years ago. The number of UFO sightings across the continent also probably increased once the Wright brothers found a way to fly. I wanted to find a similar context for sightings of a monster that inhabits New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, but authors James McCloy and Ray Miller Jr. didn’t do that level of research for their book The Jersey Devil.

I’m fascinated by the critters that may inhabit the world’s hinterlands (literally or metaphorically) occasionally making sorties into communities to feed, steal, frighten, and learn: Sasquatch, Yeti, Chupacabra, the Loch Ness monster, Ozark Howler, Peuchens, Kokopelli, and Sigbin to name a few. I enjoy learning about the context of when the sightings and interactions occur, as well as who the humans are. This book, unfortunately, is more of a compilation of sightings than a historical investigation into the incidents.

The authors offered some possible explanations including misidentification of sand hill cranes as the Devil but they seemed to accept “mass hysteria.” The third week of January 1909 featured dozens of incidents. The Jersey Devil allegedly attacked a dog, peeped through windows, scared livestock to death, escaped posses, and dodged countless bullets. Witness descriptions were similar but not exact, which also is curious but hardly addressed in the book. Mass hysteria falls short in explaining sightings hundreds of miles apart in a pre-social media world.

I know why my dad, a fan of HP Lovecraft and similar authors, bought the book, but it’s a shallow attempt to explain this regional monster. The Jersey Devil deserves better.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Jersey Devil lives in the desolate Pine Barrens, scaring multiple people all along the Delaware and communities in southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The authors have put together every alleged sighting of the beast, witness statements and discussion over what the people were seeing or experiencing. The authors do their job fine and share every known story they could find and I have no issue with how they put this together. The origin of the monster is quite interesting with various different accounts and theories. It is the information in the monster reports itself that lacks interest for me. I was just expecting something a bit more exciting. Most of the reports are very old, dating back to to the early 1900's and few after that. The photos shown were things like cops hanging up a sign declaring the Jersey Devil was a hoax, a man walking on a path, a kid selling pinecones, aerial view of a highway...but only one close up of the alleged tracks left and one of an alleged birthplace of the monster. The rest is drawings and posters. It didn't make me want to believe in the monster or want to rush to the area to explore the legend. It was ok but nothing more. If you want to read the accounts, I suggest borrowing a copy rather than buying it. I'll stick to Jersey Devil fiction!

[Mouna · Rating 3 out of 5]

▪︎كتاب غير روائي 40
▪︎كتاب صوتي 39
▪︎اللغة العربية 72




أسطورة شيطان نيوجيرسي (Jersey Devil) هي واحدة من أكثر الأساطير شهرةً وغموضًا في الفولكلور الأمريكي، وتعود جذورها إلى القرن الثامن عشر، وتحديدًا إلى منطقة غابة باين بارنز (Pine Barrens) الواقعة في ولاية نيوجيرسي.

🐉 أصل الأسطورة:
تقول القصة إن امرأة تُعرف باسم الأم ليدز (Mother Leeds) كانت تعيش في نيوجيرسي في أوائل القرن الثامن عشر، وكانت قد أنجبت 12 طفلًا. وعندما اكتشفت أنها حامل للمرة الثالثة عشرة، صرخت في يأس:
"ليكن هذا الطفل شيطانًا!"
وبحسب الأسطورة، فإن طفلها وُلد في ليلة عاصفة، وكان في البداية رضيعًا عاديًا، لكنه سرعان ما تحوّل أمام أعين الحاضرين إلى مخلوق شيطاني مجنّح:
🔸رأسه يشبه رأس حصان
🔸عينيه متوهجتان
🔸له أجنحة خفاش
🔸وأرجل تشبه أرجل الماعز
🔸وذيل طويل
طار عبر المدخنة واختفى في السماء، ومنذ ذلك الحين قيل إنه يسكن غابة باين بارنز ويهاجم المزارع والمواشي، وأحيانًا يظهر فجأة للناس.

👁️‍🗨️ مشاهدات متكررة:
تم الإبلاغ عن مئات المشاهدات لهذا الكائن على مر القرون، خاصة في القرن التاسع عشر والعشرين.
في عام 1909 تحديدًا، انتشرت حالة هلع جماعي بعد أن زُعم أن الشيطان شوهد في عدة مدن خلال أسبوع واحد، مما دفع المدارس إلى الإغلاق، والناس إلى البقاء في منازلهم.


🧠 تفسير الأسطورة:
يرى البعض أن القصة رمزية، تعبّر عن الخوف من المجهول أو عن رفض المجتمع لمن يخرج عن المألوف.
ويعتقد مؤرخون أن الأم ليدز ربما كانت شخصية حقيقية تنتمي لعائلة فقيرة مهمّشة، وأن الأسطورة تطورت من حولها بسبب مزيج من الخرافات، والتقاليد الشفوية، والتمييز الاجتماعي.


👹 مكانة الأسطورة اليوم:
أصبح "شيطان نيوجيرسي" رمزًا ثقافيًا في الولاية، وتحوّل إلى جزء من الفولكلور الأمريكي الشعبي.
سُمّيت عليه فرق رياضية، مثل فريق الهوكي الشهير "نيوجيرسي ديفلز".
كما يظهر في العديد من القصص والروايات وألعاب الفيديو والأفلام الوثائقية.


أسطورة "شيطان نيوجيرسي" هي أكثر من مجرد قصة رعب، إنها انعكاس لمخاوف مجتمع بأكمله، وتجسيد لعبقرية الخيال الشعبي في تحويل القلق والمجهول إلى مخلوق أسطوري يواصل التحليق في سماء الخيال الأمريكي حتى اليوم.

[Shaun Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short read summarizing the legend of the Jersey Devil. What surprised me is just how far the creature is purported to have traveled. I thought it never left the Pine Barrens of central New Jersey, yet sightings spanned the Lower Delaware River. They also occurred in major cities like Philadelphia, Wilmington, and beyond. Other parts I found interesting include the timespan of sightings and promoters' attempts to make money off the panic.

The only thing I didn't like was the speed with which the authors described sightings. Some consisted of little more than a few sentences, but I may have enjoyed it more had they gone a little more in depth, even if that meant reprinting original newspaper articles. Even so, I recommend this book as a quick way to get a good sense of the great American myth that is the Jersey Devil. Hell, its maps of sightings might even make for fun travel itineraries — if one dares.

[Sam W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun quick read. It mainly focused on the events of January 1909, which was very interesting to read. The book tells you the folklore of the Jersey Devil, different theories people have, different hoax people made and what the jersey Devil could of been.

The book doesn't pick a side, which I appreciate. The authors did a lot of research which you can tell by reading it.

After reading it and forming my own opinion I definitely think the Jersey Devil was real to a degree. I don't think all the stories of it are real though. I also low-key think it was straight up a dinosaur. The book actually briefly talks about this theory.

Over I recommend this book, even if you normally don't read folklore or legends. It's was interesting to learn about this creature and some history of new jersey.

[Bob O'G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, harmless, and informational book on the New Jersey's best known tale of folklore. This book works well simply as a collection of accounts and newspaper clippings on sightings of the supposed beast. It never tries to sway the reader that the devil actually exists. If anything, it discounts the credibility whenever possible without seeming disrespectful or belittling.

You can do the whole book in one read on a weekend morning or a plane ride and its a good one for Jersey residents to leave on their coffee table for guests.

[Corey Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supposedly, this was the key reference used in many of today's fictional media and literature based on the infamous creature of the pine barrens. And rightfully so. It reads as, for the most part, unbiased and delves into the history of each time period when sightings where happening in the region. We also get a closer insight to the people of the region when sightings were more abundant. It reads fairly quick and I still resort back to it on occasion for a reference material, though not a scholarly reference by no means as it was written over 30 years ago at this point. A good book to hold on to for cryptic enthusiasts.

[Ebb · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short quick read on the history of the The Jersey Devil. Doesn't really go into much detail, mostly just lists instances where the Jersey Devil was seen over the past centuries throughout the state.

[Samantha LaRochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have done online research on the Jersey Devil and still found new things out about my personal favorite cryptid in this quick read. I loved the images and illustrations compiled here as well. A great book to read if you’re interested in our boy JD

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good collection of historical and cultural research

[Paul Wallace McClure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

Would recommend for people wanting to know more about the legend and history behind it. Was an easy read and kept my attention.

[Matthew Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildy entertaining, a quick read.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A “history” of the legendary Jersey Devil pieced together by examining accounts of sightings in newspapers, police reports, and other primary source accounts. Nothing special, but a fun, quick read.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides some interesting background on the Jersey devil

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quick read about a local legend from around me

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up sometime during the last decade or so as my interest in the Pine Barrens exploded. For some reason, I didn't get to reading it until today.

While the Jersey Devil is legendary here in South Jersey, my knowledge of the legend is minimal. I recall seeing a very good movie (on film) when I was in elementary school in the 1970s. Mother Leed gave birth on a dar and stormy evening.

This book did not provide the kind of details I hoped it would. Rather, it basically just chronicled sightings of the Jersey Devil over the last couple hundred years. In addition, there was some speculation as to the origin of the legend. Much like I hear others espouse, there stories are all over the place. There is not one dominating story of the Jersey Devil.

The takeaway for me from this book is the predominance of sightings that spoke of the kangaroo-like body the Jersey Devil supposedly has.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this. It was a quick read and added to my knowledge of my playground.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read...being that I remember driving through The Pine Barrens of New Jersey (the "home" of The Jersey Devil) when I was a child going to Barnegat, NJ to visit my Grandma Tyndall. While "The X-Files" had the NJ Devil being a "cavewoman", the NJ Devil may be any number of creatures!! The best part of this book were the newspaper cartoons depicting the NJ Devil as a clownish creature wearing a hat and holding a balloon! Word of caution: don't get lost in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey in the dead of night!

[Elisha (lishie) · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a small road trip with my sister, we passed through the Pine Barrens in South NJ. My hubby brought up the story of the Jersey Devil, which neither my sister or I knew (being from Florida, not NJ). It made for a great old-time car conversation! When we returned home, my hubby found a copy of this book he had from childhood. And it was a fun, creepy read for vacation!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book mainly dealt with the folklore of the Jersey Devil, the early sightings of the creature, and the incredibly active week in January, 1909. A few post-1909 sightings are mentioned, too. The Jersey Devil was always one of my favorite of the cryptids, although I really think that it's more mass hysteria than cryptid. Nonetheless interesting.

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having grown up in suburban New Jersey, we had always heard the legend of "The Jersey Devil" by word of mouth. That legend was always repeated and extra scary while away at camp. This book actually documents the various accounts and sightings. A must read for those from Jersey who have heard the legend and question it's origins.

[Matthew McElroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a total classic, especially if you are into folklore and cryptozoology. It can easily be read in a day, and is written for anyone over the age of 10.

When I was young, this 📖 TERRIFIED me. It still holds up over the years, though it would benefit from some new maps and color photographs.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing an episode of the X-Files in which the Jersey Devil was featured, I just had to read this book. I hadn't realized that New Jersey had so much wilderness. Eerie.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. My friends and I swear we heard the Jersey Devil when we were kids. Though now I'm pretty sure it was just cats in the woods making loud passionate Kittah sex.

[Richard]

He is totally real