Stephen Cambreleng Bragaw was born on February 22, 1868, in Washington, North Carolina. In Washington, Bragaw served as mayor (1897-1898), as City Attorney (1900 to 1906), as County Superintendent of Schools in 1902-1903, and as a state senator from the second district in 1904. In 1912, he was appointed to the judgeship of the First Judicial District, a position he held until his resignation in 1914. From that time until his death on January 8, 1930, Bragaw managed his law practice in Washington.