I don't know about John Hartford, Kathleen Krull's book "Gonna Sing My Head Off" has the following lyrics.

2/4 time, in E

Scraping up sand in the bottom of the sea, Shiloh, Shiloh.

Scraping up sand in the bottom of the sea, Shiloh, Lisa Jan.

Ch: Oh, how I love her, O, Liza Jane. Oh, how I love her, goodbye Liza Jane.

v2. Black those boots and make them shine.

v3. A hump-back mule I'm bound to ride.

v4. Hopped up a chicken and he flew upstairs.