It is unknown whether Boosinger knew about these lawsuits.  

The first promissory note, signed on 23 May 1836 by JS, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith, was for $735 and was payable in land in Missouri or money. The second note, signed on 26 May 1836 by Oliver Cowdery, JS, and Hyrum Smith, was for $200, and was payable only in money. Boosinger had apparently made at least one prior loan to church leaders. JS’s journal for 29 March 1836 noted that Boosinger had “administered unto us [JS and others] in temporal things in our distress.” (Promissory Note, 23 May 1836 [Boosinger v. JS et al.]; Promissory Note, 26 May 1836 [Boosinger v. O. Cowdery et al.]; JS, Journal, 29 Mar. 1836.)  

See Documents, Volume 6, Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.  

Ray Co., MO, Deed Records, 1820–1927, vol. C, p. 233[b], 31 Oct. 1838, microfilm 959,270, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL. Brashear apparently was not a member of the church.  

U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

Cowdery, who was no longer a member of the church, was living in Ohio in early 1839. (Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses, 39.)  

Anderson, Richard Lloyd. Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981.

An Act for the Speedy Recovery of Debts Due on Bonds and Notes [14 Mar. 1835], Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri [1834–1835], p. 449, secs. 1–2.  

The Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri, Revised and Digested by the Eighth General Assembly, During the Years One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Four, and One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five. Together with the Constitutions of Missouri and of the United States. 3rd ed. St. Louis: Chambers and Knapp, 1841.

Affidavit, 10 Jan. 1839 [Boosinger v. O. Cowdery et al.].  

Attachment, 10 Jan. 1839 [Boosinger v. O. Cowdery et al.]; An Act to Provide for the Recovery of Debts by Attachment [20 Mar. 1835], Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri [1834–1835], pp. 76–77, sec. 6; An Act Supplementary to an Act Entitled “An Act to Provide for the Recovery of Debts by Attachment” [6 Feb. 1837], Laws of the State of Missouri [1836–1837], pp. 8–9. Pitkin accordingly levied 180 acres in Caldwell County to which Hyrum Smith apparently had claim, as well as the “dwelling houses,” unidentified lots, and personal property belonging to JS and Hyrum Smith. Not finding property belonging to Cowdery, the court dismissed the writ of attachment against him. (Transcript of Proceedings, 8 Jan. 1842 [Boosinger v. O. Cowdery et al.], pp. 5–6, 8.)  

The Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri, Revised and Digested by the Eighth General Assembly, During the Years One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Four, and One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five. Together with the Constitutions of Missouri and of the United States. 3rd ed. St. Louis: Chambers and Knapp, 1841.

Laws of the State of Missouri, Passed at the First Session of the Ninth General Assembly, Begun and Held at the City of Jefferson, on Monday, the Twenty-First Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Six. 2nd ed. St. Louis: Chambers and Knapp, 1841.

Declaration, ca. 13 Mar. 1839 [Boosinger v. JS et al.]. They evidently used this action because the note was payable in land and in money according to the terms of the initial contract. Rigdon was living in Illinois in early 1839. (Editorial, Quincy (IL) Whig, 23 Feb. 1839, [1].)  

Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

Attachment, 14 Mar. 1839 [Boosinger v. JS et al.]. Skidmore levied ninety-seven acres of land to which Hyrum Smith apparently had claim, as well as miscellaneous items of personal property. (Transcript of Proceedings, 8 Jan. 1842 [Boosinger v. JS et al.], pp. 6–7.)  

Rees presumably represented the plaintiff. It is unknown who represented the defendants.  

Docket Entry, Motion, Plea, and Judgment, 10 Nov. 1839 [Boosinger v. JS et al.].  

Docket Entry, Dismissal and Judgment, 12 Nov. 1839 [Boosinger v. Cowdery et al.].  

Execution, 19 Nov. 1839 [Boosinger v. JS et al.]; Execution, 19 Nov. 1839 [Boosinger v. O. Cowdery et al.]; Transcript of Proceedings, 8 Jan. 1842 [Boosinger v. JS et al.], p. 11. It is unknown whether Boosinger received any of the money collected in these lawsuits from Brashear. In October 1840, Boosinger revoked Brashear’s power of attorney and his attempts “to recover and Receive all debts and sums of money whatsoever due to me by Joseph Smith Jr Sidney Rigdon Oliver Cowdrey and Hiram Smith.” In early 1842, Boosinger corresponded with JS regarding an arrangement to have $305 of the remaining debt credited toward the tithing donations of Boosinger and five of his associates. JS included the promissory note for $735 in his schedule of debts when he petitioned for bankruptcy in April 1842 as a debt of $500, indicating that the debt had been partially paid. (Ray Co., MO, Deed Records, 1820–1927, vol. D, p. 142[b], 1 Oct. 1840, microfilm 959,270, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; Letter to George Boosinger, 24 Feb. 1842; Letter from George Boosinger, 9 Apr. 1842, in JSP, D9:347–350; see also Application for Bankruptcy, ca. 14–16 Apr. 1842, in JSP, D9:368.)  

U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

JSP, D9 / Smith, Alex D., Christian K. Heimburger, and Christopher James Blythe, eds. Documents, Volume 9: December 1841–April 1842. Vol. 9 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Matthew C. Godfrey, R. Eric Smith, Matthew J. Grow, and Ronald K. Esplin. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2019.