Daisy Polk

Daisy Polk (April 23, 1874 in St. Louis, Missouri – January 20, 1963 in Paris, France[1]) was an American woman who became Comtesse de Buyer-Mimeure after marrying French Army General Marie Joseph Louis Robert de Buyer.

Polk was a prominent woman from San Francisco (she was the sister of architect Willis Polk and related to President Polk[2]). Active in the American relief effort during World War I, she was assigned the reconstruction of the French village of Vitrimont,[3] with monies supplied by Mrs. Crocker of San Francisco; Vitrimont was the first of a number of villages restored with American aid.[4] She and de Buyer met by chance in Vitrimont in 1916: when her car broke down, de Buyer offered his assistance; a year later they were married,[5] in September.[6] Her husband had been in command of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. In 1915 he became commander of the Third Cavalry Corps (France), and a year later of the Second Army Corps (France).[5][7] He retired in 1917.[8] The wedding was attended by such notables as General Pétain.

In 1920, Polk was named a Legion Chevalier.,[9][10]

In the 1930s, Comtesse de Buyer-Mimeure, a well-known public figure,[11] was active with the Catholic Sewing Circle in Passy.[12]