[Ads-l] Antedating of "Gofer"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Excellent citations, Peter and JL. Here is a fun match in 1938 for a
"Gopher Club". If the members of the "Gopher Club" are considered to
be gophers then this is a solid match, otherwise it can be considered
a precursor match.

Date: June 24, 1938
Newspaper: Wilkes-Barre Record
Newspaper Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Article: Borough Police See Heavy Duty
Quote Page 11, Column 2
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
Convention week saw formation of a firemen's "Gopher Club," headed by
Charles Supulski and others who explained the title of their
organization was a "natural" inasmuch as they were always being told
"go fer this," now "go fer that."
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Jan 12, 2026 at 7:45 AM Jonathan Lighter
<00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> And here's the current sense in 1945:
>
> 1945 _Vancouver Sun_ (May 19) 16 [Newspapers.com]: Nearly a score of
> girls will join...Boeings, under classification of riveters, welders,
> electric department assistants, or just plain "gophers," so called
> because they'll "go fer this and go fer that" when the foreman states
> his needs.
>
> JL
>
> On Sun, Jan 11, 2026 at 11:18 PM mr_peter_morris at outlook.com
> <mr_peter_morris at outlook.com> wrote:
> >
> > Here's a slightly different sense in 1944.
> > "He's a gopher. Go fer one [woman]  then go fer another"
> >
> > https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Shipyard_Diary_of_a_Woman_Welder/9vQ9AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=gopher+%22go+fer%22&dq=gopher+%22go+fer%22&printsec=frontcover
> >
> >
> > 1944 date seems to be confirmed by copyright
> > noticehttps://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Shipyard_Diary_of_a_Woman_Welder/9vQ9AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=copyright&dq=gopher%20%22go%20fer%22&printsec=frontcover
> >
> >
> > ------ Original Message ------
> > From "ADSGarson O'Toole"
> > <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Date 07/01/2026 15:16:17
> > Subject Re: Antedating of "Gofer"
> >
> > >Interesting topic, Fred.
> > >The spelling "gophers" was used in 1956 with the desired sense. The
> > >newspaper article explained that "gophers" "go fer" things. Note, the
> > >OED entry already has a 1968 citation for "gophers" with the desired
> > >sense.
> > >
> > >The OED also has a different sense for "gopher / gopher ball" which is
> > >relevant to baseball with citations beginning in 1932.
> > >
> > >Date: January 20, 1956
> > >Newspaper: The Farmville Herald
> > >Newspaper Location: Farmville, Virginia
> > >Article: As Soda Jerks or Gophers, Housewives Provide Valuable Help To Hospital
> > >Quote Page 6, Column 3 and 4
> > >Database: Newspapers.com
> > >
> > >https://www.newspapers.com/image/890009440/?terms=%22go-fer%22&match=1
> > >
> > >[Begin excerpt]
> > >More members of the Unit act as "gophers." As can be imagined they "go
> > >fer" things. They deliver flowers and (illegible), run errands carry
> > >wanted items to patients, direct visitors, visit out-of-town patients
> > >who have no relatives nearby, empty flower bowls, buy articles
> > >downtown for patients, and for the sick person wanting that important
> > >between-hours-cup-of-coffee, they will perform that service too.
> > >[End excerpt]
> > >
> > >Garson
> > >
> > >On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 8:42 AM Shapiro, Fred
> > ><00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>  gofer (OED 1967)
> > >>
> > >>  1962 New Orleans States-Item 16 Feb. 12/1 (GenealogyBank)
> > >>
> > >>  Janet Leigh was fascinated here when she heard a slang word which was new to her ... The word is "gofer" and refers to the people around Show Business "who gofer coffee, gofer cigarets or gofer sandwiches."  Many agents — and even a few stars' husbands — are "gofers."
> > >>
> > >>  Fred Shapiro
> > >>
> > >>  ------------------------------------------------------------
> > >>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> > >
> > >------------------------------------------------------------
> > >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>
> --
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