At age six he moved with his parents to present-day West Point, Nevada a small community in the Muddy River Valley where they had been called to settle by the LDS Church.

For five years they were involved in raising sheep and cattle at that location, and then when Bennion was about 13 he moved back to Taylorsville with the rest of his family.

At age fourteen he was involved in a major cattle run from Nevada to Rush Valley, Utah along with his father.

However, in 1909 Governor William Spry appointed Bennion to the Utah State Board of equalization.

He then was involved with irrigation boards and worked with Joseph R. Murdock to found the Wasatch Livestock Loan Company.

In 1924 Bennion became head of the Utah Democratic Party and in that position successfully oversaw the election of George H. Dern as governor.