Johan “Jack” Jorgensen c.1843-1893 Australia
gouache on paper
11 x 7 inches
2023
Jack Jorgensen was born May 20, 1843, in Berlin. His father was a Danish cabinet maker, and his mother was German. He died in Runnymede East, Victoria, Australia in 1893. He worked as a farmer, bullock driver, laborer, and cook at various times in his life.
In 1873 Jorgensen was arrested for wearing male clothing and brought before the Heathcoat Police Court. A farmer he worked for testified that he knew him as “Joseph” and was pleased with the work he performed. Jorgensen pleaded with the court to let him remain in male clothing, explaining that he had worn it all his life and that when in women’s clothing he was accused of being a man. The court purchased women’s clothing for him, and he was ordered to stay dressed as a woman. So, Jorgensen moved thirty miles away and resumed his life in male attire.
He was described as stout and broad set, with an awkward gait, a stubby moustache, an even temper, and a falsetto voice. He was strong and smart with his hands. He spoke broken English with a strong German accent. His face was scared from an injury either sustained from serving in the Franco-Prussian war or being kicked in the face by a horse- the cause changed depending on who did the telling, Jorgensen, or his sister.
Jorgensen was a romantic. He had always wanted to marry and have a family. He fell in love many times. At least once, he asked for the hand of a young woman he took a fancy to, but the girl’s father treated his proposal as a joke and her mother was reportedly “enraged.” His proposal was rejected. Many of the local boys and towns folk treated Jorgensen with disdain, teasing and tormenting him over his appearance and his interests in women. Some may have suspected his sex, likely because of the sound of his voice.
Jorgensen joined the Victorian Mounted Rifles shortly after they were formed in 1886. He took great pride in his enrollment. “She [sic] would ride in on her [sic] bay charger, arrayed in her [sic] uniform, and carrying her [sic] firearms, etc., with all the pomp and ceremony imaginable...” However, the other members of the company were less than accepting of Jorgensen’s involvement and complained to their officers about his appearance saying, “it was ludicrous, and raised the risible faculties of spectators when the company was on the march.” Regardless of his physicality Jorgensen was a good shot and a hard worker and despite being ostracized he remained in the Rifles until 1891. Colonel Price, upon hearing of Jorgensen’s death said he regretted Jorgensen’s resignation because he was, “a keen soldier, a most patient one, and always ready to volunteer for any hard work.” Major Hoad remembering Jorgensen said, “It is a most wonderful thing, Jorgensen had enormously big powerful arms and, was capable of lifting great weights with ease. Whenever there was any particularly heavy work to be done Jorgensen was always called on and readily responded.”
Jorgensen was frugal, and seemingly did well for himself. He purchased eighty-six acres of land. He lived upon it and cultivated it with the help of hired hands. After a time, he sold the land to another farmer. Near the end of his life, he lived with five men in a “rickety old hut.” For most of his life Jorgensen was in good health, but for the last seven or eight months he was unwell. He continued to work, but eventually he was too sick to leave his bed. He summoned a doctor, but he did not want to be examined. Jorgensen’s living conditions, sleeping on the ground under old blankets, were contributing to his poor health and the doctor insisted Jorgensen be sent to the Bendigo hospital. Jorgensen refused. The doctor visited him again a few days later, and again Jorgensen did not want to be examined, but given his symptoms the doctor diagnosed rheumatic fever and asthma. Jorgensen’s condition only worsened and soon another farmer, Mr. Bailey, went to the constable to inform him that Jorgensen was gravely ill and needed care. Constable Bennett explained that he could not force Jorgensen to go to the hospital unless he had him arrested, which both agreed was unwarranted. The two of them went with an administrator from the hospital to try to convince Jorgensen to go to the hospital. Jorgensen again refused. Within a few days Jorgensen was dead. The men that he lived with carefully laid out his body and went for the doctor. Cause of death was complications of rheumatic fever, asthma, and exposure to the elements.
Jorgensen left all he possessed to two farmers in Runnymede East, Mr. Weeks, and Mr. Hunter. His sister came from Melbourne to identify the body. They had not seen each other for fourteen years.
Sources:
Chesser, Lucy Sarah. Parting with My Sex: Cross-dressing, Inversion and Sexuality in Australian Cultural Life. Cocos (Keeling) Islands: Sydney University Press, 2008.
“Extraordinary Case of Personation.” Bendigo Advertiser 7 Sept. 1893: 3.
“Jack Jorgensen.” Coronado Mercury 24 May. 1894: 7.
“The Elmore Male Impersonation Case.” Bendigo Advertiser 13 Sept. 1893: 3.
“The Elmore Romance.” Bendigo Independent 9 Sept. 1893. 2.