Charlotta Lönnqvist

Charlotta Maria Lönnqvist (4 February 1815 Siuntio – 27 April 1891 Siuntio) was a Finnish, Swedish-speaking cultural personality. She is mainly known as the benefactor of Aleksis Kivi who lived in her cottage, Fanjukars, in 1864-1871. She was also a known wolfer, who was awarded a prize by the Finnish Hunting Association for her skills.

Life
Charlotta Lönnqvist was the daughter of the soldier Jonas Lönnqvist and Maria Forsström. She never married. After the death of her parents, she inherited her childhood cottage, Fanjunkars, originally called Bruses. Lönnqvist had a small saving capital and occasionally earned some money catering at weddings and funerals. In addition to catering, she even taught girls from larger manor houses how to take care of the household.

From 1864 to 1871, the National Author of Finland, Aleksis Kivi, lived with her. Kivi was not unfamiliar with Siuntio as he had lived there before at his brother's farm house in Purnus. It was regarded improper for a male to live alone with a female of the same class (in which neither was employed by the other), and this caused rumors that they were lovers. Kivi wrote major part of his whole production in Fanjunkars. For instance, Seven Brothers was written in Fanjunkars. Charlotta Lönnqvist participated in charity, and her relief work during the famine of 1866-1868 ruined her. Kivi therefore gave her an income from his writings in 1869. Lönnqvist passed away in Siuntio at the age of 76. She was buried in Siuntio cemetery, near St. Peter's Church, together with her parents.