On 17 August 1793, commissioners appointed by Essex County court divided the Caroline County lands of John Dunn the Elder of Essex. This action was the result of a suit in which orators and oratrices were William Dunn, James Dunn an infant under the age of twenty one years by Ann Dunn his guardian, Joshua Dunn, Henry Dunn, Thomas Dunn & Godfrey Dunn, the two last infants under the age of twenty one years by George Martin their next friend, George Martin & Joanna his wife, Charles Bennett and Patty his wife, Patsey Dunn & Tolly Dunn & Dabney Dunn the two last infants under the age of twenty one years by George Page their next friend, and George Page & Molly his wife & Jaily Dunn, and defendants were John Dunn and Larkin Dunn. The complainants alleged that John Dunn senr. late of the county of Essex made his last will & testament bearing date the 21st day of december 1789, bequeathing to your orator James Dunn one hundred & forty four acres of land lying in Caroline County (the said testator being at that time seized of a tract of land in that county), and in case he died without heir, that it was his desire that the sd. testator’s son John Dunn should have his part, that he willed 144 acres of land to his grandchildren the son of John Dunn decd., which said children are orators and oratrices Joshua Dunn, Henry Dunn, Thomas Dunn, Godfrey Dunn, Joanna the wife of your orator George Martin, Patty the wife of your orator Charles Bennett & Patsey Dunn & John Dunn, and the said testator gave to his grandchildren the children of his son James Dunn decd. 144 acres, which said children are Larkin Dunn and your orators Tolly Dunn and Dabney Dunn & oratrices Molly the wife of George Page & Jaily Dunn, and also gave to your orator Wm. Dunn by the style of his son Wm. Dunn 66 acres, all of which was part of one tract of land in Caroline County. That a decree is necessary to divide the land, and to the end therefore that John Dunn, who was one of the children of John Dunn decd. in the said testator’s will and testament mentioned, and Larkin Dunn, who is one of the children of the said James Dunn decd. may be made defendants, to which the defendants answered in agreement for a division of the land. The division provided lots to the children of John Dunn, deceased (Joannah Martin (15-1/4 acres), Patsey Dunn (15-1/4 acres), Godfrey Dunn (15-1/4 acres), John Dunn (15-1/4 acres), Pattey Bennet (15-1/4 acres), Joshua Dunn (15-1/4 acres), Henry Dunn (21 acres), and Thomas Dunn (21 acres)); to James Dunn, an infant (133 acres)); to the children of James Dunn, deceased (Tolley Dunn (28-1/2 acres), Mary Page (28-1/2 acres), Larkin Dunn (39 acres), Dabney Dunn (39 acres), and Jaley Dunn (39 acres)); and to William Dunn Elder (62 acres); with one lot of 10 acres unassigned and not included in the will. [Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Papers, Dunn vs. Dunn, 1793.]