A little group of songs collected by Cox in West Virginia is related to "Peggy Gordon," but they add little to origins. All have floating verses from other songs; the 'parlor song' influence is strong. Since they are among the earlier versions collected, it is interesting to put them here so that they may be compared.

Lyr. Add: MAGGIE GODDON

1
I wish I was once a-sailing
As far from land as could be,
Far across the deep blue waters,
Where I have no one to trouble me.

Chorus:
Sweet Maggie Goddon, you are my bride;
Come set you down upon my knee;
Tell to me the very reason
Why I was slighted just by thee.

2
The sea is deep, I can't swim over,
Neither have I the wings to fly;
There I hear some jolly sportsman,
To carry over the love and I.
3
I wish I had a glass of brandy,
I'll tell you the reason why;
While drinking, I am thinking,
Does my true love remember me?

This confused little song is mentioned above, but it contributes little to the 'origins'.
Collected by Cox in 1918 from a Mr. Boggs, "learned about forty years ago from his brother, who was killed shortly after at Ashland, KS, by cowboys." No. 142, p. 424. See ref. below.
Cox compares it with "Youth and Folly," collected in 1916.

Lyr. Add: YOUTH AND FOLLY

1.
Youth and folly make youngsters marry,
And when they're married they must obey;
For many a bright and sunshiny morning
Has turned to a dark and rainy day.
2
O love is warming, O love is charming,
Love's quite handsome while it's new!
But as love grows older, love grows colder,
And fades away like the morning dew.
3
It was all in the sweet month of April,
While summer flowers were in their bloom,
Trees were budding, sweet birds were singing;
Times ain't with me as they have been.
4
Great Jehovah, have mercy on me!
My comrades, come to set me free;
I never courted but one fair lady;
Her name was Polly, she told me.
5
Polly, O Polly, you are my darling!
Come set yourself down awhile by me,
And tell me the very reason
Why I was slighted so by thee.
6
I am in love, I dare not own it,
The very pain lies on my breast;
I am in love, and the whole world knows it,
That a troubled mind can find no rest.
7
I wish to God I never had seen you,
Or in my cradle I had died;
To think as nice a young man as I am
Should be in love and be denied.
8
I wish I was on some stormy ocean,
As far from land as I could be;
And sailing for some better country
Where there no grief could trouble me.

Parts of old parlor songs seem co-mingled here. Some of the verses appear in another song collected by Cox (no date given), "Young Ladies (Little Sparrow)." No. 141, pp. 422-423 (See ref. below).

Lyr. Add: YOUNG LADIES (LITTLE SPARROW)

140 A
1. Come all fair and handsome ladies,
Take warning how you court young men;
For they're like a bright star on a summer's morning,
They first appear and then they're gone.
2
They'll tell to you some flattering story,
And swear to God that they love you well,
And away they'll go and court some other,
And leave you here in grief to dwell.
3
I wish to God I never had seen him,
Or in his cradle he had died;
For to think so fair and handsome lady,
Was one in love and be denied.
4
I wish I was in some tall mountain,
Where the ivy rock is black as ink;
I would write a letter to my false lover,
Whose cheeks are like the morning pink.
5
I wish I was some little sparrow,
And one of them that could fly so high;
I would fly away to my true love's dwelling,
And when he would speak I would be close by.
6
O I would flutter in his bosom
With my little [ex]tended wings;
I would ask him,. I would ask him,
Whose tender heart he has tried to stain.
7
My troubles now are just beginning,
My troubles like some mountain tall;
O I'll sit down in grief and sorrow,
And there I'll talk my troubles o'er.
8
Love is handsome, love is charming,
Love is beauty when it's new;
Love grows older, love grows colder,
Fades away like morning dew.

J. H. Cox, ed., 1925, "Folk-Songs of the South," Harvard Univ. Press; reprint Dover, 1967. No. 140 A, pp. 419-420.

All three with lyrics only.