Where can I read about this?
The were a couple of boys (now in there 70's and successful owners of a gravel company) that wrote a book about it that live near here. They were basically the spawn of Satan in their step fathers eyes.
The name of the book escapes me for the moment, but it was a good read, not just because of that, but of the general hardship these boys endured just because things were hard growing up on a farm in those times.
I can look it up and freepmail the title to you later (it will surface from my rusty memory sooner or later) if you like.
There are a others true story books out there as well if you look for them, and are interested in reading that sort of stuff.
I can't remember if it was a mormon thing or not, but there was also a believe along the east coast, -Newfoundland, New Brunswick area- of a sort of 'dapple ganger' type thing that would switch their evil little baby for a good human one shortly after birth. Some women would actually kill their babies. Early (late 17th and 18th) accountings of post-natal depression I suppose.