Q,

Another excerpt from my book:

"One source of A.P.'s songs were African-American musicians, an unusual choice for the segregated rural south. In Kingsport, Tennessee A.P. collected "Motherless Children" from John Henry Lyons who belonged to a group including Brownie McGee and Steve Tarter. One Sunday morning in 1928 Lyons introduced Lesley (Esley) Riddle to A.P."

I have earlier sources from both Cannonball Blues (1928) and the associated song "Whitehouse Blues" (1926). I'll have to look for them.
They are related in some way to Delia's Gone which dates back to the early 1900's.

Richie