The story of the Jersey Devil began in the late 1600s with a man named Daniel Leeds. A newly converted Quaker looking to escape persecution in London, Daniel Leeds moved himself and his family to what is now known as the Pine Barrens region of New Jersey. A writer and a thinker, Mr. Leeds quickly began working on what is now known as the Leeds Almanac. Mr. Leeds was quickly demonized for his use of astrology within his almanac and thought to be a fan of the occult. That, combined with his fascination with the Scientific Revolution gained him the distrust of Quakers and and Puritans alike. Daniel Leeds quickly became the target of political backlash, and at this time, political backlash oftentimes came in the form of painting one as a 'devil.' This is where the story of the Devil began. The legend trailed off after the death of Daniel Leeds and his son, Titan, (who was also a target for political demonization) but was then resurrected in Philadelphia by a man named Norman Jeffries. Jeffries and his colleague, Charles A. Bradenburgh resurfaced the Devil in their so called "Dime Museum" which essentially acted as a stationary circus, showcasing human and animal oddities alike. The two curators came up with an elaborate hoax. Their idea was to disguise a kangaroo as the supposed Devil by painting on strips and attaching fake wings. The 'creature' was then showcased at their Museum, Arch and Ninth Street Dime Museum. The hoax only last a few short months, but the revival of the Devil remains to this day. After the showcase of the Devilish kangaroo, people started to report sightings of the Devil en masse. Being how absurd the Devil is, many people wonder how the myth gained traction. Oddly enough, the idea of a Devil loose in the forest wasn't all that unbelievable. The Devil's roots were planted by the beliefs and practices of the Lenape people, an Indigenous tribe that occupied the the Pine Barrens and surrounding areas when settlers arrived. The Lenape have countless stories of forest monsters and spirits, including a forest god known as M'Sing, who is said to be the blueprint for the Devil. They even referred to the Pines as "Popuessing" which means "Place of the Dragon." Many believe that the myth of the Devil was curated via a mix of Lenape spirits and Christian mythology. (Regal and Esposito 1-81).