Trammell and Son traces its history back over 110 years

Trammell and Son Reality and SEMO Mutual Insurance can trace its history in Dexter back over 110 years, further than just about any other business, maybe the furthest. With Dexter celebrating its 150th birthday, that is a lot of history.

Justin Trammell, who handles all the day to day management, said the company can trace its history back to 1910.

“Southeast Missouri Fire Insurance Company, was the first one that was started in 1910,” said Trammell.

Trammell’s board of director’s from the early 1950s. Second from left at the table is Lee W. Trammell Sr., to his left is Lee W. Trammell Jr.

The company was started by Trammell’s great grandfather Lee W. Trammell Sr. The company is now owned by Lee W. Trammell Sr.’s grandson Gary Trammell.

“Back then it was difficult to find insurance coverage for rural properties and at that time there were a lot of them,” said Trammell. “We specialize in farms and rural properties, that was the purpose of the mutual insurance.”

Trammell said the business is like a COOP and is run by a managing board. A photo of one of the early managing boards hangs in the office. In the photo is both Trammell’s grandfather and great grandfather, Lee W. Trammell Sr. and Lee W. Trammell Jr.

Some of the original ledgers lay open on a table in the Trammell and Son office.

The business was first located downtown from 1910 to 1970, in the building that is now The Loft. Prior to the insurance company moving into the downtown location in 1910, Trammell believes there was a bank at the location. He said there was an old vault in the basement of the building. In 1970 the company moved to its current location. The building has been expanded over the years to meet the needs of the company and the residents.

“I enjoy the downtown presence,” said Trammell. “I like it over here on this side of town more than on Business 60.”

The real estate side did not get introduced to the business until the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Trammell said the company took a break from real estate and brought it back in the 2000s.

Trammell said the company had to adapt as the needs of residents changed with Dexter’s growth.

In the early days of the company the needs of customers were not what they are now. Trammell said a lot of customers in the early days would insure their barns but not necessarily their houses. The insurance was primarily fire insurance.

This was because the barn was more valuable than the house. The barn housed the equipment used to run the farm and the harvested crops prior to going to the market to be sold. The barn housed the farmer’s ability to care for and feed their families.

Another indication of the differences between then and now was the amount of insurance and the contracts. Trammell said at the time the insurance contract was one page, now the contracts are 50 to 100 pages. He can go through old ledgers in his office and show where in the early days a customer would purchase $350 of insurance for their home. Today the amount of insurance needed to cover a home is much, much higher.

As Dexter grew and more residential property was located in the city limits the company was constantly adjusting their rates to be sure they could adequately serve their customers.

Trammell said in the early days people probably did not think about earthquakes like we do now. He said they were probably more concerned with fire or maybe wind damage. A wide variety of coverage must be offered now.

Trammell said they partner with Grinnell Mutual. Trammell said they are a lager mutual company that allows SEMO Mutual to offer more insurance options to their customers such as earthquake insurance. Trammell said cyber insurance for farms is now offered due to so much of the current farm equipment being computerized. According to Trammell, Grinnell Mutual helps keep Trammell’s company up to date on what they should offer their customers.

The company also has customers in Ripley, Dunklin, Butler and Scott Counties. Trammell said the biggest concentration of customers is in Stoddard County with Butler being next.

Trammell said much of the company’s success is their employees. Over the years they had at least three that stayed for more than 50 years.

“They have done a good job over the years,” said Trammel of all the employees and the longevity. “I think that goes back to not only working with our insured and being flexible but also working with our employees and staying close to them.”