History of West Islip: Weeks and Muncy Families

Believe it or not, but the history of West Islip goes back more than 1,000 years ago. The Secatogue Indians were the first settlers on this land. Udall Road was a main Indian trail, and reportedly was the first road that ran north to south in Suffolk County. The road was named in honor of Richard Udall, who lived on an estate on Montauk Highway, although at that time it was known as South Country Road.

Significant changes began to occur in the early 1600's. First, the Dutch settlers took over until English rule emerged in 1664 when King Charles II gave the Duke of York permission to claim Long Island.

Thomas and William Willetts purchased the land by reaching an agreement with the first settlers, the Secatogue Indians, in 1692. The new owners used the land for farming, hunting and fishing. The Willets were the primary owners and residents of West Islip until the late 1770's when additional families bought parcels of the land. One of those families was the Higbies, who opened the La Grange Inn some time in the mid 1700's.

Sometime around the early 1800's, Sarah Higbie married Silas Muncy. A small, old cemetery on Boulevard Avenue was brought to the Town's attention several years ago by a young resident named Dan Andrews who stumbled upon it when he was taking random photos around town.

It has since been named the Weeks-Muncy Cemetery due to the identity of a majority of the people buried there, beginning with Silas and Sarah. Although years of neglect, vandalism and the elements have taken their toll, some of the writing is visible on many of the headstones, and other information was obtained from town surveys.

One grave is for Silas (1775-1860) and another is for Sarah (1778-1860). Their daughter, Elizabeth (Muncy) Weeks (1810-1893) and her husband, Charles Ruland Weeks (1809-1873), are also buried there. Silas and Sarah's son, Issac, who is not listed in the cemetery but his wife, Elizabeth (Conklin) Muncy (1798-1885) is as are their children; son Conklin Ketcham Muncy (died 1845) and daughter Hannah Elizabeth Muncy Larrason (1835-1861).

From the grave listings it appears Silas Muncy also had two sisters who are buried in the cemetery. Keziah (Muncy) Leeke (1771-1846), wife of Elias Leeke and Elizabeth (Muncy) Weeks (1780-1825), wife of Penn Weeks. Another grave belongs to Juley Oakley (1805-1806), the daughter of Daniel and Mary (Baldwin) Oakley. Mary was the daughter of Phebe Weeks Baldwin. Daniel's sister, Phebe Oakley Ruland, was married to Revolutionary War soldier David Ruland (1755-1820), who may be related to the Muncys through the marriage of Elizabeth Muncy to Charles Ruland Weeks as noted above.

Since the cemetery came under the care and attention of the West Islip Historical Society, particularly president Carolyn Agenjo, it is getting the respect it deserves. Ceremonies are now held there each Memorial Day, and Town of Islip Historian Robert Finnegan had a fence installed to protect the remaining headstones.

This is the second in a series about the history of West Islip.