Off the top of my head I believe the "original" was by a husband and wife duo and that with their agreement Lunsford re-wrote some of the verses. This may have been discussed in the Lunsford biography "Minstrel of the Appalachians".
I just checked and I got it arse about face, Lunsford does claim to have written it in 1920 and it is credited to Scotty Wismen and Lunsford. Seems that Lunsford sold part of his rights to the song and Lulabelle and Scotty then recorded it.

Hoot