TIP #474: THE FORGOTTEN CENSUS Amateur genealogists soon find out that the federal census is one of the most important tools in locating families. The censuses up to the 1850 helped, but only the head of household was listed and age groupings for others in the household. It is often difficult to find out if John and Mary had 15 children of their own, or if some of those little "tick marks" in each age category were cousins, nieces, nephews, boarders, children who had been apprenticed. And those older ones in the household ... parents, grandparents, citizens of the neighborhood that the family was taking care of???? We all breathe a sigh of relief when we view the 1850 census on and each ten years we could actually trace the family and who were inner family members, who were boarders, who were visitors. Errors of course existed, but how great it is to trace a family or families from 1850 on through the 1930 census - except the destroyed 1890 census. There is another census that genealogists often forget about because a lot of us don't know of its existence. The censuses are hard to find and don't list a lot of names, but can prove our ancestor was in a certain place at a certain time and a little about how they lived. This census is the Industrial and Agricultural Census. This census was conducted in 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. (Different versions of the Agricultural Census are still being taken, but these are the primary years of interest to the researcher). Where to I find these censuses? They are difficult to find. You won't locate them in most libraries and a lot of librarians won't even know what you're talking about! National Archives did microfilm these, beginning with the Seventh Federal Census (1850). A schedule entitled "Agricultural Productions" was to be completed which listed the holdings of individual farms in America. The 1850 census was very basic. The land owner had to answer the following questions: 1 - Owner of farm 2 - Agent or manager of farm 3 - Value of farming implements and machinery 4 - Value of , horses, asses, mules, milch cows, working oxen, other cattle, sheep, swine 5 - Bushels of wheat 6 - Bushels of Indian corn 7 - Bushels of oats 8 - Pounds of rice 9 - Pounds of tobacco By 1880, the government added more categories and asked a lot more questions. Here are the questions asked the farmer then: 1880 U.S. Agricultural Census Name of Person conducting the farm Tenure of the Owner Rent: Do you rent farm, how much paid in rent, do you rent for a share of the products? Acres of Improved Land (i.e., tillable land that can be used for growing crops). Include fallow land And grass including pasture or meadow. Acres of permanent meadow, permanent orchards and vineyards Acres of unimproved land - woodlands and forests Acres of other unimproved land including "old fields" not growing wood. Farm Values: Value of farm including land, fences and buildings Value of implements and machinery Value of live stock Value of fences including building and repairing Cost of fertilizers purchased in 1879 Labor: Amount paid for wages in 1879 including value of board. Number of weeks hired labor on the farm or dairy excluding housework Estimated value of all farm products sold, consumed or on hand. Grass: Number of acres mown Number of acres not mown Products: Products Harvested (in tons) of: Clover Seed. Bushels. Grass Seed. Bushels Animals: Horses of all ages on hand 1 June 1800 Mules and Asses, on hand June 1, 1880 Neat [horned oxen] Cattle and their products on hand Working oxen Milch [milk] cows Other Calves dropped [born] Cattle of all ages purchased Cattle of all ages sold Cattle living Cattle slaughtered Cattle died Cattle strayed Cattle stolen and not recovered Milk sold or sent to butter & cheese factories (in gallons) Butter made on the farm Cheese made on the farm in pounds Sheep on hand Lambs dropped Sheep and lambs purchased Sheep and lambs sold Sheep living Sheep slaughtered Sheep killed by dogs Sheep died of disease Sheep died of stress of weather Sheep clipped and shorn or to be shorn - fleeces in pounds Swine on hand Poultry on hand exclusive of spring hatching Eggs produced in 1879 Cereals: Acres in: Barley Buckwheat Indian Corn Oats Rye Wheat Canada Peas (dry) Beans (dry) Fiber Flax Tons of Straw Pounds of Fiber Pounds of Hemp Acreage of Sugar Sorgham Sugar in pounds Molasses in gallons Maple Sugar in pounds Broom Corn Acreage Hops Acreage and crops Potatoes (Irish) acreage Potatoes (Sweet) acreage and crops Tobacco - acreage and crops Orchards: Apples, acreage Number of bearing trees Bushels produced Same for peaches Total value of all orchard products sold or consumed Nurseries - acreage and value of produce sold Vineyards - acreage and value of produce sold Grapes sold in pounds Wine made in gallons Market Gardens value of produce sold Bees: Honey sold in pounds Wax produced in pounds Forrest Products: Amount of Wood cut in cords Value of all forest products sold or consumed And you thought WE are asked a lot of questions! Although none of the above is of genealogical value, we can certainly have a feel for how our ancestors lived, what they did in caring for the farm! The web site for the State of Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives is down, as soon as I am able to link to the site, I will post if any of these microfilms are available. (c) Copyright 15 January 2004, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html SCKY surname registry sites: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/reg.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/forms/SCKYreg.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/