The Origin of Words

http://kdictionaries.com/kdn/kdn14/kdn1402-etymolog-fag.pdf

http://www.albatrus.org/english/lien_of_oz/homosexuality/homosexuality_is_gay.htm

The first link above gives a description and background on the origin of the word "fag" describing it's first definition as a "bundle of firewood". The term did not chance into a description for homosexuals until the 1920's.
The second link describes the term gay and it's path to becoming a descriptive word for homosexuales. Like fag, it started out as a completely different term as it is now, and has not had the longest history for it's current usage.

Language has evolved and taken long strides throughout history, morphing as the times change. Language continues to be a powerful force for defining groups and specific people's. It is interesting to see where language comes from and where it originates.
With these types of things in mind I am still curious as to who decided to use these words originially to describe homosexuals.....and who carried them on with repeated usage. Can a person really make up a word and run with it to turn it into a phenomenon? I children's book from when I was little tried to use this concept by describing a pen as a "frindle" to see if people would start using the word..

Do you think this was from one person who decided to change the word's meaning, or a group of people?