California Joe was originally a poem written by Captain Jack Crawford and published in his 1886 book, The Poet Scout. Jim Ringer learned California Joe from his cousin and grandmother and he recorded it in 1972 on his Folk Legacy album, Waitin' for the Hard Times to Go. His family had a wealth of old songs that were handed down through the generations.

although a search did not turn this up...i found it in the digital tradition...http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiCALIFJOE.html