Leman Copley was an early convert to Mormonism

Mormonism

Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...

. Prior to his conversion, Copley was a Shaker.

In March 1831, Copley was called by Joseph Smith, Jr. to preach the gospel to the Shakers

Shakers

The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, is a religious sect originally thought to be a development of the Religious Society of Friends...

 along with Sidney Rigdon

Sidney Rigdon

Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...

 and Parley P. Pratt

Parley P. Pratt

Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...

.

When the members of the branch of the Church of Christ from Colesville, New York

Colesville, New York

Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...

 came to settle in Ohio, Copley consecrated his large farm (between 700 and 1000 acres) for their settlement. When he and the church had a falling out he forced them all to leave. Joseph Smith received a revelation to have the "Colesville Saints" go to Missouri, where God would reveal to Smith the location of land of Zion

Zion (Latter Day Saints)

Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...

. This was the beginning of the church's movement to Missouri and the dual centers of church activity (i.e. Kirtland, Ohio

Kirtland, Ohio

Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...

 and Independence, Missouri

Independence, Missouri

Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...

).

In June 1831, Copley was excommunicated from the Latter Day Saint church. He was readmitted to the church in October 1832. He served another mission with Doctor Hurlbut.

After the death of Joseph Smith, Copley joined the Church of Christ (Brewsterite)

Church of Christ (Brewsterite)

Church of Christ was a schismatic sect of the Latter Day Saint movement that was founded in 1848 by James C. Brewster and Hazen Aldrich. Because of the church's belief that Brewster was a prophet, the group is often called the Brewsterites.-History:...

 which was led by Hazen Aldrich

Hazen Aldrich

Hazen Aldrich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., Aldrich went on to lead a small denomination of Latter Day Saints known as the Brewsterites....

. He left this church in 1849 and joined a Latter Day Saint denomination led by Austin Cowles, about which little is known.