John Bragg was born near
Warrenton, North Carolina. He graduated from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1824, where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1830 and moved to Mobile in 1836, where he continued the practice of law. He was appointed judge to Alabama's 10th Judicial Circuit in 1842, later leaving that post after being elected to the
32nd United States Congress. He bought the property at 1906 Springhill Avenue on 10 May 1855 for the sum of $7500 and began construction of the house that continues to stand there today. Two notable events in the history of the mansion occurred during the
American Civil War. The first was the cutting of all of the
live oak trees on the property to give the
Confederate defenders of Mobile free range to shell any approaching
Union troops. ==Description==