The first 2 versions posted above correspond closely to the sheet music, but the dialect has been deleted, and Jula has been changed to Julia. (I wonder if Jula is an authentic old African name?) The version in DigiTrad is missing the last verse.

Transcribed from the sheet music images at The Library of Congress American Memory Collection.

[TITLE PAGE]
PLANTATION MELODIES,
The words by S. S. STEELE, Esq. as sung by
A. F. WINNEMORE and his Band of VIRGINIA SERENADERS
Arranged for the Piano-Forte by
A. F. WINNEMORE.
[1847]

No. 1.
THE GUM TREE CANOE

1. On Tombigbee river so bright I was born,
In a hut made ob husks ob de tall yaller corn,
An dar I fust meet wid my Jula so true,
An I row'd her about in my Gum Tree Canoe.

CHORUS:
Singing row away row, O'er de waters so blue,
Like a feather we'll float, In my Gum Tree Canoe.

2. All de day in de field de soft cotton I hoe.
I tink of my Jula, an sing as I go,
Oh I catch her a bird, wid a wing ob true blue,
An at night sail her round in my Gum Tree Canoe.
CHORUS

3. Wid my hands on de banjo and toe on de oar,
I sing to de sound ob de rivers soft roar;
While de stars dey look down at my Jula so true,
An' dance in her eye in my Gum Tree Canoe.
CHORUS

4. One night de stream bore us so far away,
Dat we could'nt cum back, so we thought we'd jis stay;
Oh we spied a tall ship wid a flag ob true blue,
An it took us in tow wid my Gum Tree Canoe.
CHORUS