Joseph Rorke
Encyclopedia
Joseph Rorke was an Ontario
businessman and political figure. He represented Grey Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Conservative
member from 1886 to 1894.
He was born in Tecumseh Township, Simcoe County
, Upper Canada
in 1832, the son of Richard Rorke, an immigrant from Ireland
. He moved with his family to Collingwood Township
in 1848. Rorke worked on his father's farm and taught school. In 1859, he was appointed a justice of the peace. From 1860 to 1864, he worked as an accountant for merchants in Clarksburg. Rorke married Susan Donaldson in 1867 and was named a notary public that same year. He served in the local militia, first as captain and then lieutenant. Rorke was reeve for Collingwood from 1873 to 1878 and served as warden for Grey County
in 1876. He was a member of the board of directors for the North Grey and Northern Extension Railways. He was a district and county master for the Orange Lodge and a member of the Freemasons. He ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the provincial legislature in 1879. In 1888, he married Jennie Morton after the death of his first wife.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
businessman and political figure. He represented Grey Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
as a Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
member from 1886 to 1894.
He was born in Tecumseh Township, Simcoe County
Simcoe County, Ontario
Simcoe County is located in central portion of Southern Ontario. The County is situated just north of the Greater Toronto Area stretching from the shores of Lake Simcoe in the east to Georgian Bay in the west...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
in 1832, the son of Richard Rorke, an immigrant from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He moved with his family to Collingwood Township
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
in 1848. Rorke worked on his father's farm and taught school. In 1859, he was appointed a justice of the peace. From 1860 to 1864, he worked as an accountant for merchants in Clarksburg. Rorke married Susan Donaldson in 1867 and was named a notary public that same year. He served in the local militia, first as captain and then lieutenant. Rorke was reeve for Collingwood from 1873 to 1878 and served as warden for Grey County
Grey County, Ontario
Grey County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is in Owen Sound. The population was 92,411 in 2006. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Southwestern Ontario...
in 1876. He was a member of the board of directors for the North Grey and Northern Extension Railways. He was a district and county master for the Orange Lodge and a member of the Freemasons. He ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the provincial legislature in 1879. In 1888, he married Jennie Morton after the death of his first wife.