Born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Jenison attended the public schools and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He engaged in newspaper work, from 1925 to 1937, and as a publisher, since 1938, of the Paris, IllinoisDaily Beacon-News. He served as lieutenant commander in the United States Navy, attached to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air, with service in the Pacific and Atlantic Forces, from April 1943 to September 1946.[2]
Jenison was elected as a Republican to the Eightieth, Eighty-first, and Eighty-second Congresses (January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1952 to the Eighty-third Congress, in 1954 to the Eighty-fourth Congress, and in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress.[2] He resumed the publishing business,[2] and was named "master editor" by the Southern Illinois Editorial Association in 1986.[1] He served as delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention and 1968 Republican National Convention. He served as director, Department of Finance, State of Illinois, from June 15, 1960, to January 20, 1961. He served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for one term from 1965 to 1966. Jenison also served in the Illinois House of Representatives from November 7, 1973 to the end of his term in 1974. He was appointed to replace William D. Cox who was convicted in the United States District Court for mail fraud and filing a false income tax return.[3][4] He served as a delegate, Illinois Sixth Constitutional Convention from 1969 to 1970. He died on June 24, 1996;[2] his funeral service was in Paris, Illinois.[1]