Amazing to read all this history and the origins of this great song
I used to sing this as a campfire song at Woodcraft Folk camps back back in the 70s always loved it but found the bosses wife verse nonsensical and out of place (a me problem lol as it appears in most versions ) so when i sing it now i skip it and add a verse at the end ,
” A tarriers life is hard and short,
theyll work you till your face down in the dirt,
but when the blasting day is done,
we’ll drink and dance till the rising sun !

I also remember there being another verse i cant find where Jim Goff still hadnt come down or his wife was waiting for him still up in the sky , has anyone ever come across that?