In an undated petition from about 1809, “Humbly complaining shew unto your worships your orators & oratrices Spencer Broocke & Fanny his wife, Vincent Brizendine, Rachel Allen, & Andrew, Betsey & Polly Allen infants under the age of twenty one years by Robert Harper and Lilly his wife who was Lilly Allen their next friend, Philip, Elizabeth & Richard Brizendine infants under the age of twenty one years by Vincent Brizendine their next friend, & Robt Harper & Lilly his wife who was Lilly Allen, that Hannah Allen departed this life intestate about the day of Jany 1809 seised in fee of a tract of land situated in the parish of south Farnham in Essex county & containing about 200 acres & possessed of the negro slaves named Frank, a woman, Betty a woman & her child named Jesse & James & Harry, men, as her own absolute property & was but little indebted except so much as her other personal estate would satisfy, and she left your oratrix Fanny, wife of Spencer Broocke, Rachel Allen & Leah wife of James Cauthorn living at the time of her death & also left grand children your oratrices Betsey & Polly Allen & Andrew Allen children of Philip Allen, a son of the said Hannah, who died a short space of time before his mother leaving your said orator & oratrices his children as well as a daughter named Fanny who survived her said father & died an infant in the year 1808, and your oratrix Lilly Allen his widow who has since married Robert Harper and the said Hannah also left grand children your orators and oratrices Philip, Richard & Eliza Brizendine children of your orator Vincent Brizendine by his late wife Patsey who was Patsey Allen a daughter of the said Hannah who died in the life time of her mother. And your orators & oratrices state that the value of the said land does not exceed the sum of £300—so that the proportion of each party entitled will not exceed £30—they also state that they said Hannah Allen was guardian for each of her said children during their infancy & in that character recd the property of her said children to an amt which they are not able to ascertain, but an order of this court hath been made appointing commissioners for the purpose of ascertaining the same; that the said James Cauthorn, who intermarried with the said Intestate’s daughter hath obtained from this court admin of the said Hannah Allen’s estate & by virtue thereof hath become possessed of her slaves & personal estate and sold off the said personal estate, since which they have applied to the said James Cauthorn & requested him to consent to a sale & division of the said land & slaves which may remain after paying the amt due to the intestate’s children according to the respective interests of your orators & oratrices, but the said James Cauthorn conceiving that there is some difficulty in ascertaining what your orators & oratrices are entitled to & also contending that as some of your orators & oratrices are infants or married women he would not be justified in yielding his assent to the proportions of your orators & oratrices: in tender consideration whereof & whereas your orators & oratrices are remediless in the premises except in a court of equity: to the end therefore that the said James Cauthorn & Leah his wife may true & perfect answer make to the premises as fully as if again repeated and that the amt due to your orators & oratrices respectively may be decreed to be paid to them & that the said land & slaves may be decreed to be sold & the money divided among the said Cauthorn & wife & your orators & oratrices according to their respective interests & also that the said Cauthorn may be decreed to settle an acct of his said admn & pay to your orators & oratrices respectively such proportions of the said personal estate as shall appear to be due to them respectively and that your orators & oratrices may have such further & other relief in the premises &c—may it please &c—” [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery Loose Paper 37-A-50.]

Lilly was mentioned in the 15 February 1817 will of her husband, Robert Harper, proved on 19 August 1818. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 18, pages 523–524.]

Lilly was mentioned in the 17 May 1822 will of her sister, Molly Saunders, proved 21 October 1822. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 19, pages 337–338.]

Around 1839 or 1840, orators Wm Dunn and Rice Cauthorn complained to Essex County Chancery Court: That on 1 November 1838, Lilly Harper of the County of Essex died, leaving your orator Wm Dunn and Mildred his wife who was Mildred Harper, your orator Rice Cauthorn and Lucy his wife who was Lilly Harper, John Hardy and Polly his wife who was Polly Harper, Thomas Harper, James Harper, George Franklin Minter infant child of Nancy Minter deceased who was Nancy Harper, James Francis Harper and Virginia A. Harper infants of George Harper deceased. [Essex County, Box Chancery No. 39, item 39-Q-29.]