At the urging of their friend Joshua Jobe they moved from Carter County TN to Cades Cove in the fall of 1818.  They spent their first night in an abandoned Indian hut.  The next day John began building a cabin at the northern end of the Cove since at that time the southern end was swamp.

Joshua had accompanied them to the Cove but soon left to return to Carter County.  They were alone in a wilderness and soon became increasingly fearful of the Indians. 

Though the Olivers brought food with them there wasn't enough to last the winter and heavy snows made it difficult to hunt.  Lucretia believed they would starve to death.  Ironically the Cherokee that they were afraid of brought them dried pumpkin to eat which saved them from starvation. 

In the spring of 1819 Joshua Jobe returned to Cades Cove with a herd of cattle and found the Olivers exhausted but alive.  John and Lucretia's perseverance in the face of great obstacles was the beginning of what would become the thriving community of Cades Cove with the population reaching 700 by 1830.  

John Oliver built the cabin in the image above in 1820 which replaced their first crude cabin which was located just to the north.