Origin: Hi Ho the Preacher Man (John Jacob Niles?)

Subject: RE: Origin: Hi Ho the Preacher Man (John Jacob Niles?)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 11:47 PM

Here's a catalog entry from the New York Public Library:

Seven Kentucky mountain songs: as sung by Marion Kerby and John J. Niles /
New York: G. Schirmer, c1929.
Call #: Mu 784.463 S
# Subjects: Folk songs, English -- Kentucky.
Responsibility: collected and arranged by John J. Niles.
Language: English
Description: 1 score (13 p.); 31 cm.
Related Title: Kentucky mountain songs.
Notes: For one voice with piano acc.
English words.
Pl. no.: 34690.
Contents: Hi ho the preacher man! -- The cherry-tree -- When I lays down and I do die -- In my little cabin -- Come all ye fair and tender ladies -- Ef I had a ribbon bow -- The legend of fair Eleanor and the brown gal.
Additional Authors: Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980.
Dynix #: 100121
NNBR#: 841251236
Music #: 34690

Subject: Hi Ho, the Preacher Man
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 01:11 PM

I've become aware of a song, characterized as "a folk song from Kentucky", called Hi Ho, the Preacher Man. The performance of it was by a classical singer named Maria Stich-Randall, on a black and white Kultur DVD called "World Singers".

Listening to her rendition, and what words I could make out around her opera style, I was intrigued, but doubtful that it is actually a folk song.

So I Googled, and found a source that attributed it as "collected and arranged by Mr. John Jacob Niles".   Well, that right there sent questions through my mind, because Niles was notorious for writing songs and claiming them to be collected folk songs. "I wonder as I wander" is one such.

Does anyone know anything further about this song and its provenance?

Dave Oestereich