This ledger was kept by Adonijah French and, before him, his brother-in-law Phinehas Taft between 1789 and 1815. While many pages were a copybook for math issues involving longitude, latitude, surveying, trigonometry, and dialing, entries after Taft's death in 1798 relate to French's shoe business. Some entries relate to cider making, work done, and transportation of shoes, but the ledger entries nonetheless document the early history of the Massachusetts boot and shoe manufacturing industry. The majority of the entries date between 1798 and 1815, but at least one entry from 1789 in Braintree took note on having dreams.

Adonijah French was born on October 3, 1758 in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the son of Nehemiah French (1726 – 1801) and Joanna Whitmarsh (1729 – 1806). He had one sibling, a younger sister named Sally French (c. 1765 – 1835). Adonijah was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. On April 1, 1782, Adonijah married Elisabeth Linfield (1762 – 1792). The couple had at least one child that survived into adulthood, Reuben French (1785 – 1822). After Elisabeth’s death, Adonijah remarried to Mary Dorr “Polly” Taft French (1759 – 1842). Adonijah and Mary had four children together; Mary French (1794 – 1855), Captain Henry French (1798 – 1889), Joanna French (1801-1822), and Hiram French (1803 – 1880). Adonijah died on April 16, 1821 at the age of 62. He is buried in Central Cemetery in Easton, Massachusetts.

Phineas Taft was born on August 11, 1762 in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the son of Moses Taft (1722-1791) and Mary Dorr Taft (1725 – 1796). Phineas had seven siblings, including Mary Dorr “Polly” Taft French. Phineas died on February 25, 1798.

This ledger was kept by Adonijah French and, before him, his brother-in-law Phinehas Taft between 1789 and 1815. While many pages were a copybook for math issues involving longitude, latitude, surveying, trigonometry, and dialing, entries after Taft's death in 1798 relate to French's shoe business. Some entries relate to cider making, work done, and transportation of shoes, but the ledger entries nonetheless document the early history of the Massachusetts boot and shoe manufacturing industry. The majority of the entries date between 1798 and 1815, but at least one entry from 1789 in Braintree took note on having dreams. There are several missing pages at the end of the notebook. While the binding of the journal is slightly loose, and there is some wear and tear, the journal is in good condition for its age.