Later in her life, she recollected that when her brother Joseph brought the golden plates to the family home in Manchester, New York, in September 1827, he "entered the house running", with the plates "clasped to his side with his left hand and arm, … his right hand … badly bruised from knocking down at least three men who had leaped at him from behind bushes or fences as he ran.

[5] Katharine attended the first meetings of the Church of Christ in 1830, and was baptized as a member in June 1830 by David Whitmer.

He was one of the first seventies of the church, but he was excommunicated by the Kirtland high council in 1836 for "talebearing and drinking strong liquor".

After Katharine's brothers Joseph and Hyrum were killed, the Salisburys moved to Nauvoo to be with the other members of the Smith family.

She was an active member for the remainder of her life, often traveling to RLDS Church conferences in Lamoni, Iowa, and Independence, Missouri.