Throwing my hat into the ring, the two earliest recordings seem to be both by Virginians from the Galax area, Stoneman and the Hopkins Brothers (Hillbillies). Cripple Creek isn't that far west from Galax up in Wythe County. However according to a friend of mine from Cripple Creek Va. it was iron and not coal that was mined there. It's a quiet little back country community now.
Nothing to do with the origin or date of the tune to which it is sung but I would think that Ernest Stoneman is as good a bet as any for being the originator.
According to a collector and researcher friend of mine Shootin' Creek in Poole's time was where much of the local moonshine originated.
There is another Shooting Creek in the very south west of NC but that's miles away from Poole's Shootin'Creek.

Hoot