Name Laurentius Hornaeus | ||
Laurentius Christophori Hornaeus (1645 – April 27, 1719), also known as Lars Christophri Hornaeus, was a priest of the Church of Sweden and witch-hunter in Torsaker and Ytterlannas, Sweden.
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Birth and education
He was born as Lars Christoffersson in Harnosand in 1645. During the 17th century in Sweden, the Latinized form of peoples names were common and their birthplace was sometimes added as a family name. Hornaeus most likely is the Latinized version of Harnosand. Lars started his theological studies in the 1660s and in 1667 he and his brother Petrus were both studying together at the University of Uppsala. Lars was ordained in 1672 and was then employed as an assistant or curate, to the "assistant minister" Olaus Erici Rufinius (1637-1672) in Ytterlannas. Ytterlannas is the parish for the city of Torsaker. He was also responsible for the annex parish in the Dal Hundred. Olaus Rufinius died in 1672, and Lars was appointed as the new "assistant minister" of Ytterlannas.
Torsaker witch trials
In 1675 Laurentius Christophri Hornaeus engaged in the Torsaker witch trials which became the largest witch-hunt in Sweden's history.
Konservera prastankan
It was a traditional that when a minister died, the clergyman who replaced him would marry his widow, or his daughter, depending on their age. This was termed "preserve the minister’s widow" (konservera prastankan). Olaus Rufinius was already a widower when he died, and he had an unmarried daughter named Brita Olofsdotter Rufinia (1651-1730). Lars married Brita, and the wedding took place in the parsonage in Sunnanaker, in Ytterlannas parish. Lars and Brita had a child: Lars Hornaeus (1682-1751) a minister, who would marry Elisabeth Wattrangia (1682-1743). Lars and Elizabeth would have a son: Jons Hornaeus (1715-1778), a minister who documented the witch trials of his grandfather. Jons would later marry Catharina Pihlwall (1727-1771).
Death
Laurentius died on April 27, 1719 in Nordanaker, Ytterlannas parish. He was buried under the old church in Ytterlannas where a hatch in the floor between the altar and the door to the sacristy leads to his still preserved grave. Lars Larsson Hornaeus took over his father's pastorate in 1719 and led the congregation until his death in 1751.