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Ep.78: What Happens When Your Ancestor Is The Jersey Devil?
What if your family tree points straight to one of America’s most enduring legends? We sit down with Kim, whose lineage traces back to the Leeds family at the heart of the Jersey Devil myth, and follow a story that weaves personal history with colonial rivalries, eerie Pine Barrens nights, and modern media spin.
Kim shares how a casual comment from her grandmother cracked open a hidden chapter of her identity. From there, she chased records through lockdown research, connecting branches back to Daniel and John Leeds and learning why her mother refused to stop in the Pine Barrens after dark. Along the way, we question the bloodier origin variants—do they even make sense given the surviving line?—and explore a more grounded core: a 13th child, a curse, a creature in the trees, and generations of locals who still hear hoofbeats and unplaceable cries at night.
We also dig into the almanac wars: Titan Leeds vs Benjamin Franklin. It’s a tale of early American branding and barbs, where Franklin’s jabs about a “devil of Jersey” helped cement a name that outlived the feud. Add in carnival hoaxes, TV dramatizations, and the internet’s appetite for doom-prophecy, and you get a legend both resilient and distorted. Kim pushes back on attack narratives, suggests the Devil is more watcher than wrecker, and opens the door to a provocative idea: belief itself has power. Maybe the Jersey Devil is part creature, part egregore, shaped by centuries of attention.
Ready to rethink what makes a monster? Listen, share your Pine Barrens stories, and tell us where you land: flesh-and-blood cryptid, collective thoughtform, or a brilliant product of rumor and rivalry. If you enjoy the show, follow, rate, and leave a review so more curious minds can find us.
Send us a text
GhostStop
GhostStop: Trusted for 15+ years. Leading the way in investigation technology worldwide
Have you had an encounter with the paranormal? Have you seen Bigfoot!? Call our Hotline
Support the show
Stay tuned for more Somethings Watching From The Dark by following us on our social media pages!
Cash App:
$ExploringTheUnknown1
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http://tinyurl.com/25bhpynb
Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/4t74cuvn
Youtube:
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Instagram:
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GhostStop:
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By Dustin & LukeWhat if your family tree points straight to one of America’s most enduring legends? We sit down with Kim, whose lineage traces back to the Leeds family at the heart of the Jersey Devil myth, and follow a story that weaves personal history with colonial rivalries, eerie Pine Barrens nights, and modern media spin.
Kim shares how a casual comment from her grandmother cracked open a hidden chapter of her identity. From there, she chased records through lockdown research, connecting branches back to Daniel and John Leeds and learning why her mother refused to stop in the Pine Barrens after dark. Along the way, we question the bloodier origin variants—do they even make sense given the surviving line?—and explore a more grounded core: a 13th child, a curse, a creature in the trees, and generations of locals who still hear hoofbeats and unplaceable cries at night.
We also dig into the almanac wars: Titan Leeds vs Benjamin Franklin. It’s a tale of early American branding and barbs, where Franklin’s jabs about a “devil of Jersey” helped cement a name that outlived the feud. Add in carnival hoaxes, TV dramatizations, and the internet’s appetite for doom-prophecy, and you get a legend both resilient and distorted. Kim pushes back on attack narratives, suggests the Devil is more watcher than wrecker, and opens the door to a provocative idea: belief itself has power. Maybe the Jersey Devil is part creature, part egregore, shaped by centuries of attention.
Ready to rethink what makes a monster? Listen, share your Pine Barrens stories, and tell us where you land: flesh-and-blood cryptid, collective thoughtform, or a brilliant product of rumor and rivalry. If you enjoy the show, follow, rate, and leave a review so more curious minds can find us.
Send us a text
GhostStop
GhostStop: Trusted for 15+ years. Leading the way in investigation technology worldwide
Have you had an encounter with the paranormal? Have you seen Bigfoot!? Call our Hotline
Support the show
Stay tuned for more Somethings Watching From The Dark by following us on our social media pages!
Cash App:
$ExploringTheUnknown1
Tiktok:
http://tinyurl.com/25bhpynb
Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/4t74cuvn
Youtube:
http://tinyurl.com/2w3j7fmf
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/exploring.the.unknown_/
GhostStop:
https://ghoststop.com/?rfsn=7896150.dccd74
Amazon:
Wishlist