The Weavers popularized the song to a minor degree in concert learning it from Huddie Ledbetter aka Leadbelly. Lonnie Donegan took it from Leadbelly which is fair enough except that he demanded Moe Asch to pay him royalties for it, a presumptuous move on his part.
Asch explained that he would be happy to oblige Mr. Donegan by inviting him to come by
and Asch would break Leadbelly's records over his head one by one.

I don't think Moe would have done this but the message was clear.