Poltergeist phenomena, (raps, knocks, fires, general vandalism without physical agent) appear associated with lonely children near or at the age of adolescence. While scary, they do not last long, and often disappear when a better and more loving relationship is established in the home. They are quite similar to the molestation of budding saints, often ascribed to demonic forces.
Persinger and Lafreniere (1977:108) catalog a number of instances. Sample cases included:
1) - 1790/Wizzard's Clip, West Virginia/object movements, animals drop dead, apports.
2) - 1820/-, Tennessee/peak of the "Bell Witch" period; object movements, voices, death associated with unusual forces.
3) - October, 1873/Menomonie, Wisconsin/objects move; dresses ripped to thin shreds.
4) - June, 1880/Essex, England/beds move; furniture moves, shadows seen.
5) - August, 1883/Cedarville, Georgia/objects move, pebbles move in presence of fifteen-year-old girl; dishes smashed; raps heard.
6) - September, 1889/Clarendon, Quebec, Canada/rocks move, fires, hair pulled, objects move.
7) - March, 1892/Chicago, Illinois/objects moved, jewels smashed, curtains ripped; nine-year-old girl sick.
8) - February, 1905/parts of England/outbreak of several poltergeist activities.
9) -December, 1921/Budapest, Hungary/fires break Out; furniture moved in presence of thirteen- year-old boy.
10) - February, 1952/Johannesburg, South Africa/bed sheets shredded; objects moved in house, household attacked by "force."
11) - February, 1958/Seaford, Long Island, New York/ objects move; bottles
pop off caps, etc.
12) - January, 1963/Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/objects move; blankets move; pounding sound.
(page 120)