As for "Little Rosewood Casket," L.P. Goullaud & C.A. White are often cited as composer & lyricist, as in W.K. McNeil, ed., Southern Folk Ballads, vol. 1 (August House, 1987, p. 125); Vance Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, ed. by Norm Cohen (Univ. of Illinois Press, 1982, p. 507); The Traditional Ballad Index; and the Folk Music Index (see below). The authorship of "Package of Old Letters" [not "of Old Love Letters"], however, is not mentioned in the edition Malcolm Douglas linked to above, nor in the edition at Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885. White & Goullaud are publishers in both editions (Catlin is arranger).

Discographic information Folk Music Index:

The Little Rosewood/Rosebud Casket - Goullaud, Louis P./White, Charles A.
1. Southern Folk Ballads, Vol. 1. American Originals: A Heritage..., August House, Sof (1987), p.123
2. Cooper, Wilma Lee. Songs to Remember, Cooper, Fol (19??), p 2
3. Garland, Betty. American Folk Ballads, Folkways FA 2307, LP (1964), cut#A.07
4. Henderson, Wayne. 38th Annual Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, 1973, Gazette 38, LP (1973), cut# 17 (Rose Wood Casket)
5. Hobbs, Smiley. American Banjo, Folkways FA 2314, LP (1966), cut# 16 (Rosewood Casket)
6. Kincaid, Bradley. Bradley Kincaid. Volume 2, Old Homestead OHCS 155, LP (1984), cut#B.06
7. Lehman, Glenn. Reminiscing with Glenn Lehman. Country Songs of a Bygone Era, Vetco 98301, LP (196?), cut# 1
8. Lilly Brothers. Country Songs, Rounder SS002, LP (198?), cut# 10 (Rosewood Casket)
9. Mainer, Wade. From the Maple on the Hill, Old Homestead OHTRS 4000, LP (1976), cut#C.01 (Down in the Willow Garden)
10. Miller, Mickey. Life Treasury of American Folk Music, Time L 1001, LP (1961), cut#A.07 (Rosewood Casket)
11. Mountain Ramblers. Sounds of the South, Atlantic 7-82496-2, CD( (1993), cut#1.21 (Rosewood Casket)
12. Patterson, Ray and Ina. Old Time Ballad and Hymns, County 708, LP (1966), cut# 4
13. Price, Bill & Betty. Bill and Betty Price, Rural Rhythm RRBP-239, LP (197?), cut#A.08
14. Reed, Ola Belle. Ola Belle Reed, Rounder 0021, LP (1973), cut# 13 (Rosewood Casket)
15. Reno, Don;, Red Smiley and the Tennessee Cut Ups. Letter Edged in Black, Wango 111, LP (1971), cut#A.02 (Rosewood Casket)
16. Ritchie, Jean. Precious Memories, Folkways FA 2427, LP (1962), cut#A.01
17. Schwarz, Tracy. Look Out, Here It Comes, Folkways FA 2419, LP (1975), cut# 10
18. Simmons Family. Stone County Dulcimer, Dancing Doll DLP 112, LP (197?), cut#2.04 (Rosewood Casket)
19. Smith, Betty. Songs Traditionally Sung in North Carolina, Folk Legacy FSA-053, LP (1975), cut# 13
20. Storm, Arnold Keith. Take the News to Mother, Folk Legacy FSA-018, LP (1964), cut# 6
21. Thomas, Linda. Dulcimer Player News, Dulcimer Player News DPN, Ser (1973-), 23/3, p25 (Rosewood Casket)
22. Trivette, Marina. Carolina Sampler, Global Village C 312, Cas (1992), cut# 17 (Rosewood Casket)
23. West, Harry and Jeanie. Smokey Mountain Ballads, Counterpoint/Esoteric CPT-545, LP (197?), cut# 4
24. West, Harry and Jeanie. Harry and Jeanie West, Archive of Folk Music FS-208, LP, cut# 4

"Little Rosewood Casket" (As sung by Mrs. Kenneth Wright, Hurley, Missouri and Lee Pompey, Springfield, Missouri on May 22, 1960) with other variants is in The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. The Vernon Dalhart version (with music) is HERE. The TRIO version ("Rosewood Casket" lyrics) is HERE and HERE. Chickie Williams' & Marty Robbins' recordings of "Little Rosewood Casket" are in The Record Lady's Real Country Archives. Marty's lyrics are HERE.

It would be interesting to quote what Maud Karpeles said in 1950: "It ["Little Rosewood Casket"] is not a folk song; it is not good music. When I was in the mountains forty years ago, it was being sung, but I did not bother to record it." (from D.K. Wilgus, Anglo-American Folksong Scholarship Since 1898, p. 171).

~Masato