Making some bits of progress. "Cowboy and Western Songs" by Austin E and Alta S Fife (1969, Creative Concepts Publishing Corporation) has three texts of the song and 2 melodies. One melody is from a library of Congress recording obtained by John Lomax. Interestingly one text is from the Library of Congress manuscripts of Woody Guthrie. The second text is quite long, 20 verses. I will have to compare the three with the one already in the DT to see whether to add one or more. The very brief notes on the song generally agree with the information posted above. They suggest it was a parody of "The Ocean Burial" which they say was copyrighted in 1850 by George N. Allen (see Levy link above). I have also found some alternate information in another source that is rather lengthy and requires some reading, digesting and editing.

rich r