Governor Thomas Bragg

THOMAS BRAGG, the thirty-fourth governor of North Carolina, was born in Warrenton, North Carolina, on November 9, 1810. His education was attained at an academy in Warrenton, and at Captain Partridge’s Military Academy in Connecticut. He went on to study law, and then established his legal career, serving as the county attorney. Bragg first entered politics as a member of the North Carolina House of Commons, a position he held from 1842 to 1843. He also served as a delegate to the 1844, 1848 and 1852 Democratic National Conventions. Bragg next secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and was elected governor by a popular vote in the 1854 general election. He was reelected to a second term in 1856. During his tenure, the state railways were advanced; agricultural and industrial development flourished; and educational improvements were initiated. After leaving office, Bragg served in the U.S. Senate, an office he held from 1859 until 1861. In his last political position, he served as the attorney general of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1862. Governor Thomas Bragg passed away on January 21, 1872, and was buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, North Carolina.