Thomas Bragg was a politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and lawyer

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 who served as the 34th Governor

Governor of North Carolina

The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...

 of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 from 1855 through 1859. During the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, he served in the Confederate States Cabinet. He was the older brother of General Braxton Bragg

Braxton Bragg

Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...

. They were direct descendants of Thomas Bragg (1579–1665) who was born in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and settled in the Virginia Colony.

Born in Warrenton, North Carolina

Warrenton, North Carolina

Warrenton is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 811 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1779, it is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to one of the campuses of Vance-Granville Community College....

, Bragg attended Warrenton Academy and later graduated from Captain Partridge’s American Literary, Scientific & Military Academy

Norwich University

Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...

. He was admitted to the bar in 1833 and commenced practice in Jackson, North Carolina

Jackson, North Carolina

Jackson is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 695 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County.Jackson is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

. He was a member of the North Carolina General Assembly

North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...

 from 1842 to 1843 and became the prosecuting attorney for Northampton County

Northampton County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 22,086 people, 8,691 households, and 5,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...

. He successfully ran for Governor of North Carolina

Governor of North Carolina

The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...

 and served from 1855 to 1859. He then took a seat in the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, serving from 1859 until the start of the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

 in 1861. He served as chairman of the Committee on Claims

United States Senate Committee on Claims

The United States Senate Committee on Claims was among the first standing committees established in the Senate. It dealt generally with issues related to private bills and petitions...

 in the thirty-sixth congress

36th United States Congress

The Thirty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859 to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth...

. He was expelled

Expulsion from the United States Congress

Expulsion is the most serious form of disciplinary action that can be taken against a Member of Congress. Article I, Section 5 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with...

 for siding with the Confederacy

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

. Confederate President Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...

 appointed Bragg Attorney General

Attorney General

In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...

 of the Confederate States

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

; he served from 1861 until his resignation in 1862. He continued to practice law until his death in 1872, and was also chairman of the central executive committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party

North Carolina Democratic Party

The North Carolina Democratic Party is the North Carolina affiliate of the national Democratic Party in the United States. It is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are located in the historic Goodwin house which is located in the downtown area of Raleigh at 220 Hillsborough Street...

 (then called the Democratic-Conservative Party) as of 1870. He was interred in Oakwood Cemetery

Historic Oakwood Cemetery

Historic Oakwood Cemetery was founded in 1869 in Raleigh, North Carolina near the North Carolina State Capitol in Historic Oakwood. Historic Oakwood Cemetery contains two special areas within its , the Confederate Cemetery, located on the original two and one-half acres , and the Hebrew Cemetery,...

 in Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

.