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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities; this finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 1.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 625 items) |
| Abstract | John Bragg was a Mobile, Ala., lawyer, planter, and politician. The collection includes papers consisting mostly of political and constituent correspondence, 1851-1853, while Bragg was a Democratic United States representative, concerning Mobile, Alabama, and national politics, especially political appointments. Also included are some letters during the same period from John's brothers, Braxton Bragg (1817-1876), then a United States Army officer, and Thomas Bragg (1810-1872), governor and United States Senator of North Carolina, discussing political events in Washington, D.C., especially concerning the Army, and elections and politics in North Carolina. Also available are extensive papers relating to the management of John Bragg's cotton plantation in Lowndes County, Ala., 1866-1877. |
| Creator | Bragg, John, 1806-1878. |
| Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Processing Information
Processed by: SHC Staff
Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007
Updated by: Kate Stratton and Jodi Berkowitz, September 2009
This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
This finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.
Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Biographical Information
John Bragg (1806-1878) was a lawyer, legislator, judge, planter, and native of North Carolina. Bragg was educated at the University of North Carolina, graduating in 1824; was admitted to the bar in 1830; and served as a member of the North Carolina House of Commons, 1830-1834. In 1836 he moved to Mobile, Ala., where he practiced law and raised cotton in Lowndes County. He became a circuit judge in 1842 and later a member of the Alabama House of Representatives. He was elected to the United States Congress, 1851-1853, as a States Rights Democrat, after which he resumed his law practice.
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Scope and Content
The collection includes political, family and business papers of John Bragg. Political papers, 1851-1853, includes correspondence with constituents and fellow politicians while Bragg was a Democratic United States representative. Correspondence relates to appointments, requests for public documents, and party business. Also included are some letters during the same period from John's brothers, Braxton (1817-1876), then a United States Army officer, and Thomas (1810-1872), governor and United States Senator of North Carolina, discussing political events in Washington, D.C., especially concerning the Army, and elections and politics in North Carolina. Also available are extensive papers relating to the management of John's cotton plantation in Lowndes County, Ala., 1866-1877.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Congressional Papers, 1851-1853 and undated.
Chiefly political correspondence of John Bragg with constituents and other politicians while he was serving as a Democratic United States representative. Many of the letters are related to land claims, pensions, public offices, and requests for public documents. Some are related to postal issues and routes, including an 1853 embezzlement at the Mobile, Ala., post office. Also included are letters commenting on national and Alabama politics including Democratic Party business, candidates, elections, proceedings of the Alabama legislature, and specific political issues including states rights, American commercial interests in Mexico and Panama, and Native American affairs. Some letters of this period are from John's brothers, Thomas, describing North Carolina politics, and Braxton, discussing Army legislation and the United States Department of War. There are also a few lists of Alabama constituents and scattered personal letters and invitations.
| Folder 1 |
1851 |
Folder 2-13
Folder 2Folder 3Folder 4Folder 5Folder 6Folder 7Folder 8Folder 9Folder 10Folder 11Folder 12Folder 13 |
1852 |
Folder 14-15
Folder 14Folder 15 |
1853 |
| Folder 16 |
Undated (1851-1853) |
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Series 2. Business and Family Papers, 1866-1877 and undated.
Includes business papers pertaining to John Bragg's cotton planting activities in Lowndes County, Ala., and a few papers of Dr. Shirley Bragg. Among items present are indentures and contracts, bills, accounts, inventories, and correspondence with merchants and plantation managers. Correspondence with plantation managers discusses conditions on the plantations, progress of activities, expenses, labor, and misfortunes.
Papers of Dr. Shirley Bragg concern medical school, medical licensing, and the possibility of practicing abroad.
| Folder 1a |
Original finding aid |
| Folder 17 |
1866-1871 |
| Folder 18 |
1872 |
| Folder 19 |
1873-1874 |
| Folder 20 |
1875 |
| Folder 21 |
1876-1877 and undatedIncludes a few papers of Dr. Shirley Bragg related to his going to Russia or Turkey to make a living. |
| Folder 22 |
Letters from John Wallace to John Bragg, 1872-1873 |
| Folder 23 |
John E. Wallace letters, 1874 |
| Folder 24 |
Munter and Faber accounts, 1872-1874 |
| Folder 25 |
Charles Hopkins and Company accounts, 1873-1875 |
| Folder 26 |
Miscellaneous bills |
| Folder 27 |
T. K. Padgett letters, 1875 |
| Folder 28 |
N. B. Bowie exams and letters, 1887Includes the Alabama medical examinations of N. B. Bowie, and his letter of appeal following his failure to qualify to practice medicine in Lowndes County, Ala. |
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Series 3. Pictures and Printed Material, 1851-1876 and undated.
This series contains group of steel engravings of prominent lawyers including William H. Battle of Chapel Hill, N.C.; W. F. Bullock of Louisville, Ky.; S. M. Harrington of Delaware; J. Y. Lumpkin; Henry Pirtle of Louisville, Ky.; and Daniel A. Wilson of Lynchburg, Va. Also included are congressional speeches and reports; campaign literature; petitions; issues of the Congressional Globe; newspaper clippings; a list of Alabama legislators, 1851-1852; and other items.
| Folder 29 |
Printed material and pictures |