Harden Bennion
Encyclopedia
Harden Bennion was the Secretary of State of Utah from 1916 to 1920. He also served in the Utah State Senate
and as chairman of the Utah Democratic Party
.
Bennion was born in Taylorsville, Utah
. At age six he moved with his parents to 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. In 1876 the Bennion Family moved to Vernon
in Tooele County, Utah
.
In 1878 Bennion began studying at the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah
) from which he received a certificate as a teacher after one year. However for the next seven years Bennion was involved in sheep herding and farming in Vernon.
He later worked for George M. Cannon who was the Salt Lake County recorder. After leaving employment there in 1893 Bennion married Vilate Kimball Nebeker, the daughter of George Nebeker.
Bennion then moved to Vernal, Utah
in 1893, where his brother Samuel R. Bennion was the stake president. He served as manager of the Ashley Cooperative Mercantile Institution in Vernal and was involved in organizing the Bank of Vernal. Bennion also served as a member of the Board of Tuustees of the town of Vernal and town clerk. Vernal then became a city and Bennion was elected a member of the city council. He also held the position of postmaster in Vernal. In the LDS Church Bennion served in the YMMIA presidency in the Vernal Ward and then as a counselor in the bishopric of that ward.
In 1898 Bennion was elected to the State Senate, representing Uintah County, Utah
, Grand County, Utah
, San Juan County, Utah
, Emery County, Utah
and Carbon County, Utah
. Since Daggett County, Utah
did not yet exist and was still in the boundaries of Uintah County it was also part of Bennion's district. Bennion was re-elected to the state senate in 1902 and so continued in that position through the end of 1906.
In 1906 Bennion became a member of the Uintah stake (based in Vernal) high council. Shortly after that he became a counselor in the Uintah Stake presidency. Shortly after that in 1908 in business affairs Bennion began to work full-time as a rancher.
However, in 1909 Governor William Spry
appointed Bennion to the Utah State Board of equalization. For the next eight years he served in either that position or as a member of the Utah Commission on Taxation and Revenue. With his new appointment in 1909 Bennion moved to Salt Lake City and was released from the Uintah Stake presidency and called as a member of the Salt Lake Stake High Council. From 1914 to 1916 Bennion served as stake clerk of the Duchesne Stake, based in Roosevelt, Utah
.
In 1916 Bennion was elected Secretary of State of Utah. 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. Dean as governor. From 1925 to 1933 Bennion was Utah Commissioner of Agriculture. From 1923 to 1929 Bennion also served as a counselor in the Salt Lake Stake presidency.
Bennion and his wife Vilate had five daughters, four of whom lived to adulthood.
Utah State Senate
The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The Senate is composed of 29 elected members representing an equal number of constituent senatorial districts. Each senatorial district is composed of approximately 91,000 people...
and as chairman of the Utah Democratic Party
Utah Democratic Party
The Utah State Democratic Party works to elect Democrats to office in the state of Utah. The Utah Democratic Party, like other national, state, and county parties, maintains a party platform that lists general principles or issues of importance to members of the Utah Democratic Party and maintains...
.
Bennion was born in Taylorsville, Utah
Taylorsville, Utah
Taylorsville is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 57,439 at the 2000 census...
. At age six he moved with his parents to 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
Rush Valley, Utah
Rush Valley is a town in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 453 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rush Valley is located at ....
along with his father. In 1876 the Bennion Family moved to Vernon
Vernon, Utah
Vernon is a town in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 236 at the 2000 census....
in Tooele County, Utah
Tooele County, Utah
Tooele County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 40,735 and by 2005 was estimated at 51,311. Its county seat and largest city is Tooele....
.
In 1878 Bennion began studying at the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
) from which he received a certificate as a teacher after one year. However for the next seven years Bennion was involved in sheep herding and farming in Vernon.
He later worked for George M. Cannon who was the Salt Lake County recorder. After leaving employment there in 1893 Bennion married Vilate Kimball Nebeker, the daughter of George Nebeker.
Bennion then moved to Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south...
in 1893, where his brother Samuel R. Bennion was the stake president. He served as manager of the Ashley Cooperative Mercantile Institution in Vernal and was involved in organizing the Bank of Vernal. Bennion also served as a member of the Board of Tuustees of the town of Vernal and town clerk. Vernal then became a city and Bennion was elected a member of the city council. He also held the position of postmaster in Vernal. In the LDS Church Bennion served in the YMMIA presidency in the Vernal Ward and then as a counselor in the bishopric of that ward.
In 1898 Bennion was elected to the State Senate, representing Uintah County, Utah
Uintah County, Utah
This page deals with the Utah County. For the Wyoming County, see Uinta County, Wyoming.Uintah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 25,224 and by 2009 was estimated at 31,536. It was named for the Ute Indians, the tribe that lives in the basin. Its...
, Grand County, Utah
Grand County, Utah
Grand County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 8,485, and by 2005 had been estimated at 8,743. It was named for the Colorado River, which at the time of statehood was known as the Grand River. Its county seat and largest city is Moab.-Geography:According...
, San Juan County, Utah
San Juan County, Utah
As of the current census of 2010, there were 14,746 people and 4,505 households. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 50.4% Native American, 45.8% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% African American and 2.3% reporting two or more races...
, Emery County, Utah
Emery County, Utah
Emery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 10,860, and by 2009 had been estimated to decrease to 10,629. It was named for George W. Emery, governor of the Utah Territory in 1875...
and Carbon County, Utah
Carbon County, Utah
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. Named for the major coal deposits in the area, the county seat and largest city, is Price. Carbon County is the second largest natural gas producer in Utah , with 94 billion cubic feet produced in 2008. As of 2010 the population was...
. Since Daggett County, Utah
Daggett County, Utah
Daggett County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 1,059 at the 2010 census. It was named for Ellsworth Daggett, the first surveyor-general of Utah. Its county seat and only municipality is Manila. There is one other small community, Dutch...
did not yet exist and was still in the boundaries of Uintah County it was also part of Bennion's district. Bennion was re-elected to the state senate in 1902 and so continued in that position through the end of 1906.
In 1906 Bennion became a member of the Uintah stake (based in Vernal) high council. Shortly after that he became a counselor in the Uintah Stake presidency. Shortly after that in 1908 in business affairs Bennion began to work full-time as a rancher.
However, in 1909 Governor William Spry
William Spry
William Spry was an American politician and the third Governor of Utah.Spry was born at Windsor, Berkshire, England. He emigrated to Utah Territory with his parents at the age of eleven....
appointed Bennion to the Utah State Board of equalization. For the next eight years he served in either that position or as a member of the Utah Commission on Taxation and Revenue. With his new appointment in 1909 Bennion moved to Salt Lake City and was released from the Uintah Stake presidency and called as a member of the Salt Lake Stake High Council. From 1914 to 1916 Bennion served as stake clerk of the Duchesne Stake, based in Roosevelt, Utah
Roosevelt, Utah
Roosevelt is a city in Duchesne County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,299 at the 2000 census.The proper pronunciation of the city's name is based on how President Theodore Roosevelt pronounced his name: according to the man himself, "pronounced as if it was spelled...
.
In 1916 Bennion was elected Secretary of State of Utah. 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
Utah Democratic Party
The Utah State Democratic Party works to elect Democrats to office in the state of Utah. The Utah Democratic Party, like other national, state, and county parties, maintains a party platform that lists general principles or issues of importance to members of the Utah Democratic Party and maintains...
and in that position successfully oversaw the election of George H. Dean as governor. From 1925 to 1933 Bennion was Utah Commissioner of Agriculture. From 1923 to 1929 Bennion also served as a counselor in the Salt Lake Stake presidency.
Bennion and his wife Vilate had five daughters, four of whom lived to adulthood.
Sources
- Andrew JensonAndrew JensonAndrew Jenson, born Anders Jensen, was a Danish immigrant to the United States who acted as an Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for much of the early-twentieth century...
. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1936) Vol. 4, p. 11-13