My Dad has sung this song for years, always a favorite with the kids--my sisters and I, and now our kids. Does anyone have a reference to the songwriter, and date? My daughter is doing a project for English class on her 10 favorite writings, and needs them to be properly referenced. I recall my dad saying it was written by a Yale student (so you Connecticut/Maine singers may have a close connection) in the late 1800's, but that is all I remember.