Re: The praties--I learned it from my (Irish) Grandad who told me that he learned it from a cousin (with quite a brouge!) who came over from Ireland when my mother was a child. He told me that "the Lord" is referring to the "Land Lord." Grandad sang it as follows:

Oh the praties they grow small,
over here, over here;
Oh the praties they grow small,
when we dig them in the fall;
And we eat them coats and all,
over here, over here.

Oh I wish that we were geese,
night and morn, night and morn;
oh I wish that we were geese,
for they fly and take their ease;
And they live and die in peace,
eatin' corn, eatin' corn.

Oh, we're trampled in the dust,
over here, over here;
Oh, we're trampled in the dust,
but the Lord in whom we trust;
He will give us crumb for crust,
over here, over here.

Grandad participated in one of the later Oklahoma land rushes, and so he also taught me his own version of the Little Sod Shanty on the Claim:
1.
I'm lookin' rather seedy now while holding down my claim;
my vittles ain't always of the best;
and the mice play shyly 'round me as I nestle down to rest;
in my little old sod shanty on the plain.

Chorus:
Oh, the hinges are of leather and the winders have no glass;
the boards they let the howlin' blizzard in.
You can see the hungry coyote as he sneaks up through the grass;
to my little old sod shanty on the claim.

2.
Oh I rather like the novelty of livin' in this way;
though my bill of fare ain't always of the best,
but I'm happy as a clam on this here land of Uncle Sam;
in my little old sod shanty on the plains,

Chorus:
Oh, the hinges are of leather and the winders have no glass;
the boards they let the howlin' blizzard in.
you can see the hungry coyote as he sneaks up through the grass;
to my little old sod shanty on the claim,
oh, my little clapboard shanty on the plains.
yes my little clapboard shanty on the plains.


Here's one more song Grandad taught me. He worked on the Frisco
(railroad) lines, and sang "Patrick (or Paddy) on the Railroad" :
1.
In eighteen hundred and forty one,
I put my cordroy britches on,
I put my cordroy britches on,
to work upon the railway.

Chorus:
Skiddy mee-oo, mee-eye, ree-eye,
Skiddy mee-oo, mee-eye, ree-eye,
Skiddy mee-oo, mee-eye, ree-eye,
and Paddy works on the railway.

2.
In eighteen hundred and forty two,
I left the old world for the new,
bad 'cess to the luck that brought me through,
to work upon the railway.

Chorus:
3.
Our boss's name was old Tom King,
he kept a store to rob the men,
a yankee clerk with ink and pen,
to cheat Pat on the railway.

Chorus:

4.
Tis Paddy do this and Paddy do that,
without a stocking or cravat,
nothin' but an old straw hat,
to work upon the railway.