Five years onward and I have an odd connection. There is a painting by a Quaker artist named Marcus Mote(1817-1898) in the Museum in Richmond, Indiana. It depicts a scene from the temperence movement where the local Quaker ladies boycotted and picketed a local grocery store that was known to sell buckets of beer to children. Apparantly, this particular demonstration made national news with reporters coming from as far away as Chicago. What is the connection you ask? The grocery was named The Old Gray Goose and Mr. Mote's wife and Quaker demonstrater was named Rhoda. I have to wonder if there wasn't some symbolism in Rhoda Mote trying to bring the demise of the Old Gray Goose, and telling Aunt Rhodie that the Old Gray Goose is Dead.
Perhaps it is nothing more than a coincidence, but since there seems to be no definitive history to the lyrics I found it very interesting. Any thoughts?