Both men joined North West Mounted Police in 1874. Cecil Denny was Joe Butlin's commanding officer at Kingston. Joe Butlin was born at Kingston, Ontario. After leaving the North West Mounted Police he opened a stone quarry on the Elbow and supplied material for building St.Mary's Roman Catholic Church. He later became a butcher. In 1901 he moved to Wetaskiwin where he was employed by Pat Burns. From 1912 to retiral, ca. 1921, Joe was an Indian Agent at the Hobbema reserve.