Re the family tree, Rebecca heard the song from her grandmother when she was a child, i.e., post 1833, say 1840. If her grandmother learnt it either directly or indirectly from a broadside c1800 that all fits in fine, unless I've misread it. The earliest dated version I have is 1801, but there is some suggestion that there were earlier versions, possibly it could go back as far as 1750. It was widely printed around 1800 and later in the century. The Vermont version is a fragment and the first 2 lines have been remade or adopted from another ballad but the rest is pretty standard. You can listen to a standard version on our website at www.yorkshirefolksong.net