Oliver initially traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in the Brigham Young Company in 1848. He returned to New York to collect his wife, children, and in-laws and then traveled back to Utah in 1852 with the Henry W. Miller Company. He later participated as one of the rescuers that were sent out in the winter of 1856 to assist the members of the Church stranded in Wyoming. After being sent to explore a route between Salt Lake City and Carson Valley, Brigham Young called for his return in 1857 and Oliver traveled from Nevada to Utah with the Chester Loveland Company as Assistant Captain.
