my mama always sang this to me when i was just a baby. she said its from Kokomo Indiana from round 1925-35. she lernt it from an old black man. and she sang it like this:

Now just lemme tell ya bout a man name-a coon
whose home was in Tennessee
made his living a-stealin chickens
and anything he could see
but this cockeyed man he run so fast
his feet wouldn't stay in the road
and when a freight train passed
no matter how fast
he'd always get on board

now ya know he was a travelin man
lord he certainly was a travelin man
he was the travelest man ever in the land
he traveled everywhere
was know for miles around
but he didn't get caught
he didn't get whopped
till the police shot him down

the police hired an autombile
for the purpose-a chase ole coon
they chased him from 6 o'clock in the mornin
till 7 in the afternoon
now this cockeyed man he run so fast
fire come from his heels
and he starched the corn, burn the cotton
cut a road though the farmer's fields

chorus

the police shot him with a rifle
and the bullet went through his head
all the people had come from miles around
to see the man who was dead
telegramed home to his mother
she was all taken away with grief
an she came up and opened the coffin lid
and the fool had disappeared

chorus

this boy went down to the spring one day
to get himself a pail of water
the distance that he had to go was
about two miles and a quarter
got there and got his water
and then he started home
but he stumbled and fell down
so he went back home
got himself another bucket
caught the water for it hit the ground

chorus

now this boy was on the titanic ship
and it was sinkin down
he was sittin out on a tired with his head hung down
when this boy jumped over board
everybody thought he was a fool
but 15 minutes after that
you know he shootin craps in Liverpool

and he said:
I'm a travelin man...(chorus)