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.
Rorke married Susan Donaldson in 1867 and was named a notary public that same year.
Rorke was reeve for Collingwood Township 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.