Frank Lyon Polk was born on September 13, 1871, in New York City, New York. Polk, an attorney by training, was the U.S. Under Secretary of State from July 1, 1919, to June 15, 1919, and U.S. Secretary of State ad interim from February 14, 1920, to March 14, 1920. He died in New York City on February 7, 1943.