The ancestor of 900 miles is "Reuben" recorded first by Kentuckian Emry Arthur c. January 1930 and issued on Paramount 3237. It was covered by others including Wade Mainerin 1940.

Another branch of the same song is "Train 45," first recorded by North Carolinian G.B. Grayson with Henry Whitter, Oct 10, 1927 and sometimes recorded as "Ruben;s Train, or "Riding On That Train 45."

The Woody Guthrie "900 Miles" is a distinct version first recorded 1944 as noted above. I am pretty sure all subsequent versions are more or less covers of these.

The real mystery is where Emry Arthur found his version and whether he put it together himself or learned it as is. I believe some album notes have been written on the subject (perhaps in the JEMF set of Paramount old-time recordings), but can't find them now (am laid up with a bum foot & hard to get around), but you could check on that.

Great old song.

Bob