Frank O. Lowden was born in Chisago County, Minnesota on January 26, 1861. Starting his career as a school teacher, he saved enough money to attend Union College of Law, now Northwestern University School of Law. After graduating in 1887, he practiced law in Chicago. In 1896, he married Florence Pullman, favorite daughter of railroad tycoon George Pullman.
Lowden entered politics and served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1906-11) and as governor of Illinois (1917-21). He gained wide notice as governor by his reorganization of the state government and by his effective handling of the Chicago race riots in 1919. A contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 1920, he was deadlocked with Leonard Wood at 311 1/2 votes on the eighth ballot, which enabled Warren G. Harding to gain the nomination. In 1924 he refused to run as Vice President on the Republican ticket.