Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US, mainly Southern/Midwest) used in place of SE by in a variety of combs. euph. referring to God or Jesus, e.g. I golly! I Godfrey!

[1593		A. Passionate Morrice in Furnivall Tell Trothe’s New Yeare’s Gift (1876) 63: I, mary, Honestie, and what then?].
[1594		Lyly Mother Bombie I i: I marie, now you tickle me.
1825		‘A Sly Peep at Lunnun’ in Universal Songster I 18/1: Some lawyers, too, wear ’em, and look just, ifags! / As if peeping for clients.
1843		R. Carlton New Purchase I 179: I dad! if I didn’t snatch up Ruff and kiss him!
1873		C.H. Smith Bill Arp’s Peace Papers 118: I golly! Well, there’s jest no use talkin.
1884		G.W. Bagby Old Virginia Gentleman (1910) 80: Every time a train passes [...] and, if the speed is at all rapid, Uncle Jim seldom fails to exclaim, ‘I George! she’s a goin’ uv it’.
1894		J.W. Riley Armazindy 1: Name ain’t down in History, – But, i jucks! it ort to be! [Ibid.] 5: I gum! [Ibid.] 45: I jacks! [Ibid.] 68: And the strangest thing, i jing! [DARE].
1895		Ade ‘Wayside Ambition’ in Verses and Jingles (1911) 3: I want to be a brakeman, / I jing!
1905		DN III 12: I dad! [...] Exclamation of surprise.
1913		H. Kephart Our Southern Highlanders (1922) 287: Ey God, a favorite expletive, is the original of egad, and goes back to Chaucer.
1929		C. Sale Specialist 7: All mixed up with hollyhocks – / Everything! — until, I jocks, / I jist pine t’ pull up stakes.
1930		AS V 268: One of the Ozarker’s favorite exclamations is best spelled i-God.
1940		Amer. Mercury June 211: Aye gonnies, if that little ’un didn’t grow up six feet two [DARE].
1955		Mad mag. July 36: I grannies [...] he must have dozed off.
1969		in DARE FW Addition GA13: ‘I god, I played the devil!’ I-God [is] used real often in this region.