Lewis C. “Sonny” Bennion Sr.

Lewis Clifton “Sonny” Bennion was born at Sunshine, Park County Wyoming. At the age of four he began riding horses and herding cattle. In his teens, Sonny continued to work on his father’s and other ranches, trailing cattle to stockyards and railheads. Sonny established a homestead in 1924 a few miles southwest of Meeteetse. In 1940 Sonny expanded his holdings by purchasing the Checkbook Smith Ranch on the Greybull River. For over 40 years Sonny and his family trailed cows and calves to summer pasture in the high country of the Wood River. On horseback he spent countless summer hours packing salt blocks, moving cows to greener pastures, and checking on their well-being. Sonny used his artistic talent to document the cowboy lifestyle that he loved. He produced over 30 oil paintings and numerous pencil drawings of cowboys, horses, cattle and wildlife.