William Emmert Swigart, Jr. was born in Huntingdon, PA on February 2, 1915 to W. Emmert and Eva Workman Swigart, the third of five children. William graduated from Huntingdon High School in 1933, attended Wooster College, Wooster, Ohio, and graduated from Juniata College, Huntingdon in 1937. He then joined Swigart Associates, Inc., the insurance firm founded by his father in 1907. Following the death of his father in 1949, William was elected Corporate Vice President/Secretary and served in that capacity until being elected President and C. E. O. In 1986 he moved to the position of Chairman of the Board. In 1990 he was named Director Emeritus of the Swigart Associates Board. William continued to be involved with the insurance profession, handling all the antique automobile insurance for the company until his death. William also oversaw the day to day operation of his real estate and museum businesses. He was a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

    William spent his entire life in Huntingdon, except for his years of service in World War II, leaving the U. S. Army commissioned as a captain. He married Helen Fetterhoof 1940 and they had four children and eight grandchildren. Helen passed away on May 11, 1991 and on October 18, 1992 William married Patricia Bittner Trefz of Hummelstown giving him two step- children and three step- granddaughters and one step-great-granddaughter.

    William Swigart had been exemplary as a community leader giving freely of his time, encouragement and expertise to many organizations. He was the founding chairman of the Huntingdon County Community Chest which eventually became the United Way. He campaigned energetically for the Huntingdon County United Way, served on the board for more than 60 years and served a two term directorship of the United Way of Pennsylvania. In 1998 he was honored by the board of directors of the United Way as the first recipient of the William E. Swigart, Jr. United Way Service Award. This award is to be given annually to a volunteer who exemplifies service to the United Way. He also was honored in 1998 by receiving the Community Star Jefferson Award for outstanding community service representing Central Pennsylvania. He enthusiastically supported the Boy Scouts of America and had been recognized for his efforts with the distinction of receiving the Silver Beaver Award (the highest honor bestowed in Boy Scouting), the Good Scout Award, and locally is recognized as being the first Eagle Scout in Huntingdon, Mifflin and Centre Counties. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Juniata Valley Council #497 - Boy Scouts of America.

    Other community activities have included: Treasurer, Huntingdon County Bi-centennial Commission; Chairman of the Huntingdon Sesqui-Centennial Celebration; and Chairman of the Huntingdon "Old Home Week" Celebration. His involvement with the Huntingdon County Library Board had been since 1954, in the positions of Vice President and President, and he was named as a Life-Time Trustee. He was a charter board member of the Huntingdon County Tourist Promotion Agency, presently the Huntingdon County Visitor’s Bureau, serving for 23 years and as its president from 1977 to 1980. He was a member of the state board of directors of Pennsylvania Crimestoppers. Having served on the Penn Central National Bancorp Board for over 30 years, in 1993, he was named Director Emeritus. William was formerly on the Citizens Advisory Committee of the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon.

    William was recognized in 1973 with the Juniata College National Alumni Association Service Award. He had served as president of the National Alumni Association, president of the Huntingdon County Alumni Club, member and chairman of the President’s Development Council, Class Fund Agent, chairman of the Annual Support Fund and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities Matching Grant Committee. Having been a member of the Juniata College Board of Trustees, he later was granted emeritus status.

    William was a lifelong member of the Stone Church of the Brethren, having been a former teacher of the Adult Bible Class and serving as a deacon.

    William was a member of the B.P.O.Elks, Jaffa Shrine Temple, the Huntingdon Country Club, the American Legion Post #24 and was Past President and 60-years member of the Huntingdon Kiwanis Club.

    William was a collector and hobbyist - intensely interested in antique automobiles, toys and automobile memorabilia, which includes, license plates and automobile name plates. In these two areas, the collections are unexcelled worldwide. He was widely known as the owner of the Swigart Museum, an antique automobile museum dedicated to the history of the American automobile. It is the oldest car museum in America having been started in 1920 by William’s father and taken over by William at the time of his father’s death in 1949. The museum boasts a fine cross-section of many one-of-a-kind American steam, gas and electric cars, as well as bicycles, toys and period clothing.

    Among his many memberships, William was a member of the Classic Car Club of America, the Veteran Motor Car Club of America, Steam Car Club of America, the National Association of Automobile Museums, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Fire Mark Circle of London, England, Train Collectors Association, Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the Antique Toy Collectors Association of America and a Founding Member of the Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. He also was a Life Member, since 1947, Past National President and former Secretary of the Board of the Antique Automobile Club of America, Inc. (AACA) serving on the board of directors for 35 years, former President and Secretary of the Past Presidents Club, and a member of the Hershey Region, the Gettysburg Region and Founding President of the Allegheny Mountain Region.

    In 1997, William had the honor to be named to the Kruse International Collector Car Hall of Fame.

    William passed away on July 10, 2000.

    William’s legacy will live on forever. He will be greatly missed.