Born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jorgensen graduated from the
medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1865. He served as a cadet surgeon in the
United States Army in the latter part of the Civil War, from 1864 to 1865, rising to acting assistant surgeon, in mid-1865, and again serving from 1867 to 1870. He served as a member of the Virginia house of delegates from Prince Edward County from 1872 to 1873. He moved to
Petersburg, Virginia. He was appointed postmaster of
Petersburg, Virginia, May 21, 1874 – June 8, 1877, when he resigned, having been elected to Congress. Jorgensen was elected as a
Republican to the Forty-fifth and to the two succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883). He served as chairman of the Committee on Mileage (Forty-seventh Congress). He served as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1880. He was appointed register of the land office at
Walla Walla, Washington, by President Arthur February 27, 1883, and served until removed by President Cleveland in 1886. He died on January 21, 1888, in Portland, Oreg.. He was interred in Mountain View Cemetery,
Walla Walla, Washington. ==Electoral history==