Hmmm! Rather strange choice of song to be sung at Harvard in the 1860s. Or am I missing something?

Your use of the word 'version', Jim, could be misleading. This song I doubt is a 'version' of anything else. It uses the chorus and title of other songs, but I'm sure you know there are lots of songs using this chorus pattern and lots of songs called 'Botany Bay' which aren't otherwise related.