[Ads-l] Antedating of "Goofer"/"Goopher"/"Goophering" (Noun and Verb)

[Shapiro, Fred]

goofer (OED 1887)

1871 Cincinnati Commercial 20 Feb. 2 (Genealogy Bank)  The peculiar superstitions of the negroes are known in Louisiana and some of the other States as Voodooism, but here in Virginia, and also in the adjacent States, they are familiarly classed under the head of "Goophering," or conjuring. ... I never heard a Virginia or Carolina negro mention the word "Voo too" in my life.  They say they have been goophered, conjured, tricked, bewitched.

1879 Boston Daily Globe 8 June 6/4 (Newspapers.com)  There was a voodoo, goopher, conjurer or witch doctor — they are known by each of these titles — in Cambridgeport, near Harvard Street.

1883 Constitution (Atlanta) 4 Nov. 13/5 (Newspapers.com)  "Jis' as soon as I gits up from dis here bed I'll get a silver bullet an' ef I don't killdat ole witch den she kin kill me.  But o lordy! I's afeard I's neber agwine fur ter git up again, case she's put de 'googer' (a word used by the negroes to express the highest degree of anything) on me."

Fred Shapiro

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