Louie Roy--I found the song in Songs of the Pioneers, Book 1, copyright 1970 by Albert E. Brumley & Sons, Powell, Missouri. Unfortunately, it gives no information on where the song might have been found before that, only that it was a "folk" or "pioneer" traditional song.
It's possible they might know more about its origins. The book gives a mailing address of:
Pioneer Song Book
345 West Highway 54
Camdenton, MO 65020
Good luck!Lin