14. In 1840, The Jersey Devil Ate Farmer’s Sheep
Between the years 1840 to 1844, farmers reported hearing an other-worldly scream and screeching noise, and when they went outside the next morning, their sheep were either slaughtered, or completely missing. It would seem to be more logical if wolves, dogs, or coyotes attacked these sheep, but the farmers apparently thought that there was no logical explanation for these killings, unless it was the Jersey Devil. A posse of men gathered to kill the beast that was eating all of the livestock, but they never found the beast that was responsible for killing their livestock.
Stories like this are not too uncommon in American folklore with stories about mysterious creatures- from werewolves to aliens. It is more likely that it was a wild animal who was hungry, or even another human being, and not a mythical creature. However, at a time when meat was precious, taking care of livestock was a very serious undertaking, and it was important for these men to make sure they kept their animals safe, otherwise, the village would not have any meat readily available to eat.