Well Joe, it seems clear the 1924 early date of publication from the Traditional Ballad Index is not correct. A text version of it was collected in Ohio and published by Tolman in the Journal of American Folklore Vol 35, which was 1922. this is cited by both Laws and Randolph. Randaolph also says it can be foun in Americn Ballads and Songs by Louise Pound also published in 1922. Randolph's collection was in 1924 from a Mrs Carrie Baber of Pinville, MO. Mrs. Baber stated that she learned the song about 1898 and that she always wondered about the title. She said, "It don't seem to make sense, but that's what it is..." The reason being is that her version had the line "From the banks of the Ponsaw Train". So either she corrupted it or her source in the late 1890's had it messed up. If an incorrect version dates from 1898, then you might argue that the correct version predates that. Both Randolph and Laws also mention a version by Stout in "Folkore From Iowa" where the stanzas end witrh the line "on the Lakes Upon". Stout's work was published in 1936. A version is also found in "The New Green Mountain Songster" by Flanders and Barry (1939). They put forth the proposition that LOP is a companion piece to "The Little Mohea". IN Mohea, the man declines the marriage proposal because he has a girl at home. In LOP it is reversed, the girl refuses the proposal because of a lover away. They state "It is very probable that the author knew and imitated 'The Little Mohea'". Flanders and Barry also claim that theirs is the first pinted version with music. They obviously did not have a copy of Creighton's Ballads and Songs of Nova Scotia. The two tunes, however, are not the same.

Time to go back out and do some more gardening

rich r