cnd, there was a note on the first page I linked to:

"NOTES [92 words]: In 1878, Bob Allen's published a song, "Old Uncle Eph," which I had guessed was the same song, but Gary Reid sent me a link to the sheet music (https://www.loc.gov/resource/sm1878.10392.0?st=gallery) which says that only the music is by Allen. And I would not consider it the same song."