Max Hunter listed and sang it as a folk song- he did not take credit for it as a new song. See Max Hunter Folk Song Collection:
Would You Care

Many folk song collections contain versions of copyright songs; The Traditional Ballad Index and books by Randolph and other collectors include a number of them. Most collectors either recorded the music on paper by ear or used a recording device; then transcribed the music into singable form, which they could copyright if they wished to do so.
It wasn't easy to find or trace origins before American Memory, Levy Sheet Music Collection, Brown Univ., etc. organized their holdings and went on line with their large inventories of music. Singers and collectors often didn't know or were uncertain of origins.