You may be thinking of founding father and former president John Adams (who was also a delegate to the Continental Congress). He kept a written record of his experiences. More information about his writings (notebooks, diaries, etc) can be obtained through the Massachusetts Historical Society.
James Madison was the delegate who kept a notebook of daily events.
Samuel Pepys
I think you have Samuel Pepys (pronounced "Peeps") in mind. He was a British member of Parliament, but when he was young, he kept a diary (from 1660 to 1669). Historians have found his reflections and observations very useful in understanding British life at that time.
Person that kept track of progress
Yes, bipolar is a desease which can be helped with mediation and counseling. It cannot be cured (at this time), but can be kept in check if you take your medicine on a daily basis and work with a counselor as well as knowing your trigger events and trying to avoid them.
while mysterious events kept the community from achieving permanence, was the first English community established in the Americas.
registry
journal!
An engineering notebook or logbook is a record kept by an engineer where information and data is recorded about what the engineer is working on. It is a legal document and can be used as evidence in court.
The body can be kept healthy by healthy by good food intake and daily exercise.
A daily record of a ships progress is kept in the ship's log, or logbook.
plague was the main even that kept Athens from conquering Sparta