Betty Smith's notes regarding the song on her Folk-Legacy recording simply tell us that she learned the song from Byard Ray, fiddler anf friend from Sodom Laurel, Madison County, North Carolina. Byard told her they used to sing the song in his church. Betty writes: "He said we probably wouldn't find his version of the hymn in a book, because it was the kind of hymn that people sang when they didn't have books. Since only one word changes in each verse (fathers, mothers, children, brothers, sisters, neighbors, etc.), it's an easy song to follow."

I haven't seen the shape-note versions, so I can add nothing to Betty's note.

Sandy