Glad you found the thread BonnAmi which has some excellent postings on it. And talk about the "folk process" at work.........

About Daddy Claxton-------Ealier renditions and printed copies of this song make no mention of him and refer to others as being renownned by the 'boes throughout the land, meaning hoboes. AP Carter had copyrighted in 1929 a version referring to Daddy Cleaton and the "'boes." The next year or thereabouts, Roy Acuff had a copyright on it using "Daddy Claxton" and referred to the courts and not the hoboes. Acuff's middle name and his father's too was Claxton and at various times throughout his life he said this was or was not where it came from. It would make sense in this respect: Why the courts line? Well, Acuff's Dad (Neill Claxton Acuff) was a preacher and A LAWYER and this was an "inside" line to pay a bit of homage to Dad. Roy also said at other times, this was the way he learned it, so who knows? But it does make the line about the courts make sense, otherwise what's the point in a train song?

Say Bonno, why not stuff the whole thing and use Woody's "Grand Coulee Dam" to the tune instead? I like it better anyway since WC has gotten kinda' folk processed to death.

Spaw