There were predecessor Lindy Lou's.
"By the Watermelon Vine, Lindy Lou," 1904, words and music by Thomas S. Allen, perhaps related.

Chorus:
Lindy, Lindy, sweet as the sugar cane,
Lindy, Lindy, say you'll be mine,
When the moon am a-shining,
Then my heart am a-pining,
Meet me pretty Lindy by the watermelon vine.

American Memory, African-American Sheet Music, 1850-1920.

Also "Sugar Moon," 1910, lyrics Stanley Murphy, music Percy Renwich.
First line-
"Lindy Lou and Jasper in the fields of sugar cane,"

Lily Strickland, 1884-1958, credited with 395 compositions. Her papers are in the Converse College archives. "Mah Lindy Lou" was her most popular song, and still a favorite with many people. Madame Galli-Curci, the famous opera and art song singer, was the first to make it widely known.

Sheet music of "Mah Lindy Lou" is held by The National Library of Australia, pub. and copyright G. Schirmer, NY, 1920. Published by Chappell in London, 1920, and in Sidney, Australia, 1921.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.mus-vn311902