Friday, October 9, 2015

How a hamlet got its name

Photo by Barry Wallace
PURPLEVILLE
Reader of this blogsite and Arts Society King member, Zoreh Zandvakili, wrote to ask how Purpleville got its name.   I mentioned the Vaughan hamlet in a recent blog.   Elmore Reaman, in his 1971 book A History of Vaughan Township, says that Purpleville  got its name, in 1866, from an early Township of Vaughan farmer, John Morrow, who was a staunch Orangeman.   The purple star of the Williamite Army (late 1600s) is part of the flag of the Orange Order, which is a protestant fraternal organization based primarily in northern Ireland. Very few vestiges of old Purpleville remain to this day.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the information. Based on that I looked up 'Williamite Army' & 'Orange Order' (had never heard of these before). I learned a bit about Ireland's history just because there is a Purpleville in Vaughan. Thanks again.

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