This is a British song that has emigrated to the US and has mearly had the places changes as has happended with lots of other songs. The reference to the "West" is in the original song and has no historical connection with America whatsoever so trying to date it by looking at what the "West" meant in the US during the 1800's is rediculous. One of the Bodleian Broadsides attributes the song to a George Brown but how true that is who knows.