An Englishman, William Ikin moved to Alberta in the early 1880's. In 1884 he bought 300 cattle and built a cabin about three miles below the Bar U ranch on the middle fork of the Highwood River. In 1887 he purchased adjoining ranches from Andy Bell and John Quirk. There he developed a well-known herd of Clydesdale horses. Same as NB-9-53.