> I once read a biography of Jefferson.  What did he call a notebook where one
> would write famous quotes that he would hear?  He used a special name for
> this type of journal or almanac.

Such a book is usually called a Commonplace Book.  The use of that term was
quite widespread, however, and not peculiar to Jefferson.  Most educated
persons of that time kept such a book of passages they thought significant.
Jefferson had several of them.