Farmer, MLA (1923-1927).
He came to Canada from Austria in 1899 and farmed near Gimli. He served as Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Gimli (1910-1913). He was an organizer for the Liberal Party of Manitoba for several years. He was elected to the Manitoba Legislature in the 1922 provincial election, representing the Gimli constituency, becoming the first MLA of Polish ethnicity.
Rojeski served as an opposition member for the next five years. He lost the Liberal nomination to Einar Jonasson in the 1927 election, campaigned as an independent candidate, and lost to Ingimar Ingaldson. In later life, he advocated for the CCF party in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
He and wife Maria Koszelowska (1884-1967) had eight children: John Rojeski (1904-1928), Martin Rojeski (1906-1991), Nellie Rojeski (1907-?, wife of Paul Nitczyk), Jessie Rojeski (1911-?, wife of Joe Kusiak), Pauline Rojeski (1913-?, wife of Nick Okrainec), Frank Rojeski (1915-?), Helena Marie Roy (1917-1995), and Walter Rojeski (1919-1972). He was one of the founders and builders of Felsendorf School, Sts. Cyril and Methodius Roman Catholic Church, and Gimli Community Farmers Association.
He died at St. Boniface on 26 October 1965 and was buried in the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cemetery.
Birth registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1921 Canada census, Ancestry.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1965.
Obituary [Helena Marie Roy], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 April 1995, page 14.
Members of the Legislative Assembly (deceased), Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank Oliver Bernuetz (Legislative Library of Manitoba) for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 19 January 2021
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