In 1870, Olney married Agnes Jane Arnold and set up his own ranch in neighboring Llano County, Texas.
In 1872, Olney served in John Alexander's Company O of the Texas Minutemen and participated in action against Indian raiders.
Over the next few years, Olney, along with John Ringo and the Baird brothers, became involved in the Mason County Hoo Doo War.
As the situation escalated, Scott Cooley and John Ringo were arrested and incarcerated in the Lampasas County jail.
On one such drive, Olney, John Ringo, Ike Clanton, and Al Turner hurrahed the town of Safford, Arizona, a typical cowboy behavior.
Olney and Ringo also rode together as part of the 1882 posse who pursued the Earps after the vendetta killings of Frank Stilwell and a Mexican, Florentino Cruz.
On December 13, 1884, The Arizona Silver Belt reported, From The Willcox Stockman we learn that Joe Hill, a well-known cattle man, met with a fatal accident at Bowie, on Wednesday of last week.