Representative Abe McGregor Goff

Abe McGregor Goff (December 21, 1899 – November 23, 1984) was an attorney, military officer, and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Idaho, most notably serving as a one-term United States Representative from 1947 to 1949. A member of the Republican Party, he contributed to the legislative process during a single term in office and represented the interests of his Idaho constituents during a significant period in American history following World War II. He also served in the U.S. Army in both world wars, rising to the rank of colonel and earning the Legion of Merit.

Goff was born and raised in Colfax, Washington, in the Palouse region, the fourth son of Herbert W. and Mary (Dorsey) Goff. His family had strong regional ties; his older brothers attended Washington State College (now Washington State University) in nearby Pullman. After graduating from high school in 1918, during the final year of World War I, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private. He underwent preliminary officer training at the University of Idaho in Moscow during the last weeks of the war. Discharged from the military in December 1918, he returned to civilian life with the intention of pursuing a legal career.

In January 1919, Goff entered the law school at the University of Idaho in Moscow. He distinguished himself both academically and athletically, serving as the center on the University of Idaho Vandals football team and becoming a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He completed his legal studies and graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1924. His early association with the university would continue throughout his professional life, as he later returned as a lecturer in law.

Upon his admission to the bar, Goff commenced the practice of law in Moscow, Idaho, in 1924. He quickly became a prominent figure in the local legal community and was elected prosecuting attorney for Latah County, serving from 1926 to 1934. In addition to his prosecutorial duties, he contributed to legal education as a special lecturer at the University of Idaho law school from 1933 to 1941. His professional standing was further recognized when he was elected president of the Idaho Bar Association in 1940. That same year, he expanded his public service into elective office, winning a seat in the Idaho Senate in 1941.

Goff’s legislative career in the state senate was soon interrupted by national military service. Later in 1941, he was activated as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve with the rank of major. During World War II he served in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific theaters, undertaking a variety of staff and command responsibilities. By the end of the war he was on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff, reflecting the high level of trust placed in his judgment and abilities. He was discharged from the Army in 1946 with the rank of colonel and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his service.

In 1946, capitalizing on his legal, legislative, and military experience, Goff was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Republican from Idaho. He narrowly defeated seven-term Democratic incumbent Compton White of Clark Fork in the general election. Goff served in the Eightieth Congress from 1947 to 1949, a period marked by postwar adjustment, early Cold War tensions, and significant domestic policy debates. As a member of the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process and contributed to the legislative work of the Congress while representing the interests of his Idaho constituents. In the 1948 election, Compton White defeated him and reclaimed the seat, limiting Goff’s congressional service to one term.

After leaving the House, Goff remained active in politics and public service. In 1950, he sought higher office as a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Idaho, but was defeated in the Republican primary by appointed incumbent Senator Henry Dworshak, who secured the nomination in August. Goff continued to play a role in party affairs, serving as chairman of the Idaho Republican Party Veterans Committee in 1952. He then accepted a series of federal appointments in Washington, D.C. He served as general counsel of the Post Office Department, where he was involved in legal and regulatory matters affecting the national postal system. In 1954, he was appointed to the Interstate Commerce Commission, on which he served until 1967, participating in the regulation of railroads, trucking, and other interstate carriers during a period of significant change in American transportation.

Following the conclusion of his federal service, Goff retired from full-time public life and returned to the Palouse region, settling again in Moscow, Idaho. In retirement he worked as a writer and lecturer, drawing on his extensive experience in law, politics, and military affairs, and maintaining close ties to the University of Idaho and the local community. Goff had married Florence Letitia Richardson of Moscow in 1927; their marriage lasted 57 years, until his death. The couple had two children, Timothy Richardson Goff (1932–1972) and Annie McGregor Goff (1935–2018). Abe McGregor Goff died in Moscow on November 23, 1984, and he and his wife are buried at Moscow Cemetery, east of the city.