Hi,

Just a quick update. I've been putting US version on my site here: http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/us--canada-versions-6-bloody-millerwexford-girl.aspx

Here's a brief bit from my 15 pages of headnotes for the US and Canada:

Brief Analysis of Ballad Types and Titles in North America

There are very few older versions from North America that are similar to or based on the c. 1700 Berkshire Tragedy. Only the Hick/Harmon version I've titled "Wittenham Miller" is clearly based on Berkshire, while Mary Eddy's "Lexington Girl" has several partial bits of texts based on Berkshire and is also very old version. In other ballads a stanza or a few words are borrowed. The presence of the devil is found in Berkshire Tragedy but not in The Cruel Miller. Here's Berkshire stanza 9:
            9. About a month since Christmas last,
                oh! cursed be the day,
                The devil then did me persuade,
                to take her life away.
The presence of this stanza or usually part of it, indicates an association with Berkshire. At least four versions from North Carolina usually titled "The Bloody Miller" begin similarly with this very stanza:
            Bloody Miller- Jane Eller (NC) 1901 Abrams A
                1. One month of May since Christmas last,
                      that most unhappy day
                      That he devil persuaded me
                      to take her life away.
This stanza is part of the older NC versions and a concluding warning stanza was recreated to tie in with the devil being the cause of the murder:
             Come all young men and warning take
             Unto your lovers be true
             And never let the devil get
             The upper hand of you. [Carter Family 1937, "Never Let the Devil Get the Upper Hand Of You"

Use the link to read more. I've put over 100 are the US/Canada traditional texts on my site so far- I'm nearly done only 5 or so more to go.

Richie