In Seaport Town- Martha Gosnell (NC) 1916 Sharp B
[Single stanza with music from Sharp and Campbell I, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I, 1917 and 1932. The 1932 notes follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
No. 48. In Seaport Town.
Texts without tunes :—Journal of American Folk-Lore, xx. 259; xxix 168. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 305 (see also further references).
Texts with tunes:—Journal of the Folk-Song Society, i. 160; ii. 42; v. 123. Miss Broadwood's Traditional Songs and Carols, p. 28. Folk Songs from Somerset, No. 12 (also published in English Folk-Songs, Selected Edition, I. 4, and One Hundred
English Folk-Songs, p. 4). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxxv. 359.
Sharp diary 1916 page 236. Friday 4 August 1916 - Allanstand
Mr Mitchell Wallin an old singer & fiddler came to see me in the morning. He was a bad singer and a very difficult fiddler to note from. In the afternoon went to Mrs Gasnell’s where Mrs Sands joined us. Both she & Mrs Gasnell sang and I got some very good songs indeed. A very fruitful day on the whole.
B. In Seaport Town. Sung by Mrs. MARTHA GOSNELL at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 4, 1916
Heptatonic. Mode 3, a. + b.
1. In Seaport town there lived a merchant,
He had two sons and a daughter fair;
The prettiest[1] boy who lived 'round there,
He was this daughter's dearest dear.
1. derived from "'prentice"?