The song itself is quite widespread (number 240 in the Roud Folk Song Index), having apparently travelled to the USA from England. Frank Purslow reckoned it dated back to the 17th century, but I don't know on what grounds. I've only seen one set, an American one, that speaks of haunting (doubtless there are others) and that seems to be something that got tacked onto a few variants of the song later in its history. Kennedy (Folksongs of Britain and Ireland 153) prints a set in Welsh, Yr Hen Wr Mwyn, remarking that it was quite popular there. I wouldn't know whether the song started out in England or Wales, but the format of the gradually escalating argument that reaches absurd levels is quite an old one.