FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHY ON BACK OF PLATE:

REV. GEORGE F. BRAGG, JR. George Freeman Bragg, junior, Priest and Rector. was born in Warrenton, N. c., January 25, 1863. Shortly after his birth, his parents, Goorge F. and Mary Bragg, removed to Petersburg. Va. it was in this' latter place that their son was reared and educated; remaining there until ordained to the Episcopal Ministry, he left to take charge of his first work in Norfolk, Va. ' Mr. Bragg was educated, first, in the Episcopal Parachial School, then in the St. Stephen's Normal School, and in the Bishop Payne Divinity School, all of Petersburg, Va. His education, however, was supplemented by private tuition by a master 'In languages, under whom he studied Latin, Greek , Hebrew and philosophy. In 1881, he was appointed a page in the Virginia Legislature, and a little later, by the Speaker, promoted as the postmaster of that body. In 1882, though not of age, he founded and edited the "Virginia Lancet," the first Colored weekly published in the "Black Belt" of Virginia. This newspaper he conducted for some tour or five years, and on January 12, 1887, in St. Stephen's Church, Petersburg, Va. he was ordained Deacon by Bishop Whittle of Virginia. He immediately left for Norfolk, Va,, where he began his ministry at the head of the little Episcopal Mission of that city. He remained in Norfolk for nearly five years, and during that time formally organized Grace Church, secured the lot, built a new church and rectory and improved the old school building. A very large day Industrial School Was carried on by Mr. Bragg in Connection with his work. While here in June, 1887, Governor Fitzhugh Lee, of Virginia, appointed him one of the State's Trustees of the Hampton Normal and Agri-cultural Institute, where he served for four years, resigning only because of leaving the State. In Deceniber, 1898,he was advanced to the priesthood, by Bishop Whittle in St. Luke's Church, Norfolk, Va. In the Fall of 1891 he accepted an invitation to become the Rector of St. James Church, Baltimore, Md. The church, although one of the oldest of the connection, had been very much run down. During a ministry there of ten Years, he has wrought remarkable improvement. He has increased the communicant list from sixty-three to nearly two hundred, and advanced the church well-nigh to complete self-support. The old church which was in a Jewish neighborhood, has been sold during the present year, and a handsome brick structure erected in another section of the city. Mr. Bragg, during his residence in Baltimore, has founded a splendid charitable institution, the Maryland Home for Friendless Colored Children, and two young men have been sent into the ministry of the church directly through his efforts. For many years the Rev. Mr. Bragg was Secretary of the Annual Conference of Episcopal Church Workers among the Colored people. And in addition to his many other arduous labors he has found time to edit the "Afro-American Ledger," a weekly of this city, the "Charch Advocate," and the "Maryland Home," monthly publications. Mr. Bragg is a well known figure in all public movements for race amelioration, and is a veteran newspaper man, having been Secretary of the National Press Convention for four years, beginning with the presidency of the late Rev. Dr. W. J. Simmons.