Frank A. Barrett was born on November 10, 1892 in Omaha, Nebraska to Patrick J. and Elizabeth Barrett. He received his A.B. (1913) and L.L.B. (1916) degrees from Creighton University, where he worked his way through as a letter carrier. He served nearly two years in the "Balloon Corps" of the infant air service during World War I. In 1919, he married Alice G. Donoghue and soon after moved to Lusk, Wyoming, to practice law. The Barretts had four children; Frank, James, Marialyce and a baby girl that died in infancy.

Barrett served as County Attorney for Niobrara County from 1923 to 1932. He was elected to the State Senate in 1935 and served on the Board of Trustees for the University of Wyoming from 1939 to 1943. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1942. In 1950, he was elected Governor of Wyoming. In 1952, he defeated Joseph C. O’Mahoney for the U.S. Senate seat and served until 1958 when he was defeated by Gale McGee. Barrett is the only person who has served Wyoming as U.S. Congressman, Governor and U.S. Senator. He is one of only 6 in history to have served the nation in all three offices.

His wife Alice, died in 1956 in Bethesda, Maryland and was buried in Lusk. In 1959, Barrett married Mrs. Augusta K. Hogan. Barrett died in Cheyenne on May 30, 1962 and is buried in Lusk.