06/14/2021
Local insurance agency business turns 100 years old
Lee Williamson, president
Williamson Insurance Agency, founded in 1921, is now 100 years old. We believe it is still the oldest continuously family-owned and operated insurance agency in its fourth generation in this area.
The insurance agency was founded in 1921 by Plummer P. Williamson (PP), a retired school teacher and school principal in his sun porch of his house along Main Street in Davidsville. The agency was founded to protect the insurance needs for the local residents and farmers in Somerset County.
With agriculture strong in the area, the business started off strong. PP was a strong businessman in that he also created the First National Bank of Davidsville as its owner and president.
PP died in 1952, and the agency continued to his brother, James Edward Williamson (this writer's grandfather), as he was a clerk in the agency office. My grandfather continued the operations until his death in 1958, upon which time my father, Carl Wesley Williamson, assumed control of the agency operations.
The agency, under his control, expanded from just property insurance to multi-line insurance which included liability, homeowners and mobile homeowners. These additions doubled the size of the agency; an office was added to their house along West Campus Avenue in Davidsville to properly serve the agency insureds.
In 1962, however, Carl died and my mother, Sara Williamson, assumed agency control.
Sara was the first woman insurance agent in the two-county (Somerset and Cambria) area, and was even elected to serve on the board of directors of a local insurance company as well. The agency again doubled in size under her control; upon graduation from the University of Pittsburgh, I also became licensed, as a part-time agent. My mother then retired from the agency in 1980 and I assumed ownership and control.
I increased the product offerings, obtained my insurance brokers license and expanded into full-line business insurance including personal and business automobile, workmen's compensation, and life and disability insurances, as well as various investment and retirement vehicles. The business was outgrowing its space, in Davidsville, so in 2003 I moved the agency closer to my home in the Westmont section of Johnstown and added more staff.
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During this time, my wife, Joan, also became a licensed agent and principal. When our son, Roeg, graduated from law school, he joined the family as the fourth generation of licensed family members.
It is encouraging to have attained 100 years in business, a feat only 17% of third-generation businesses can attain. Our agency has always stressed customer service. Our staff is fully licensed and insured as well under the current leadership of Donna Alicardi, agency vice president and general manager.
Donna has been with the agency for 28 years and has greatly contributed to the agency growth and customer relationships. Donna would like to invite you to search the web for our new agency website — williamsoninsurance.com — in Johnstown, and we would invite you to give her a call for a reasonable insurance quote.
Our agency is poised to enter its fourth generation under the leadership of L. Roeg Williamson. And we wish to thank all of our customers and friends from the last 100 years to help us attain our 200th anniversary.
Lee Williamson
Westmont
