The only evidence on the age is anecdotal ("heard in the early 90's" etc.)
I will try the Levy and Bodleian sites for English ancestors using "Fond Affection," etc.
The Carters sang this one (see reference in Masato Sakurai, above). It may be their own, since the last three verses do not seem to appear in the versions I have turned up. No, I don't know why "little sister" appears.

Lyr. Add: "EAST VIRGINIA BLUES # 2 (Carter)

My sweetheart has gone and left me
And my little sister too
I am left alone in sadness
Lord I don't know what to do.

All this world is turned against me
Nothing but trouble do I see
There will be no more pleasure
In this whole wide world for me.

I am just from East Virginia
With a heart that's brave and true
Now I learned to love a maiden
With eyes of heavenly blue.

That same day I packed my suitcase
And I started to go away
But she met me at the station
Saying darling won't you stay.

I am dying, captain, dying
Won't you take those words for me
Take them over to the jail house
Let this whole wide world go free.

"She" always seems to have something white on her breast(s):
White lilies
A white lily
White flowers
White linen

Her hair was:
A light brown color
Dark and curly
A brightsome color
A lightsome color
Dark in color

The Carter Family had several different versions of East Virginia Blues. Guest, above, quotes a 1934 version. Here is the 1941 version mentioned by Masato, who gives the link to the Honking Duck audio:

Lyr. Add: EAST VIRGINIA BLUES (Carter)

I was born in East Virginia
To North Carolina I did go
There I spied a fair young lady
And her age I did not know.

Her hair was dark in color
Her cheeks were rosy red
Upon her breast she wore white lilies
Where I longed to lay my head.

Oh, at my heart you are my darlin'
At my door you're welcome in
At my gate I'll always meet you
For you're the girl I tried to win.

I'd rather be in some dark holler
Where the sun refuse to shine
Than for you to be another man's darlin'
And to know you'll never be mine.

Another verse that links to other songs (from a note of mine marked Canada ??):

O take me to that marble orchard
Carve my name upon a stone
Tell the world I died her lover
And I died for love alone.