Did you know there were other special census records other than the mortality schedules?
During the 1850-1880 census, there were also industrial and agriculture census records.
So, what does this include?
Agriculture—as a genealogist these give you a glimpse into the life and farm of your ancestor {if he was a farmer}. These schedules recorded statistics on farms, plantations, and market gardens, listing the names of owners, agents, and managers. The type of statistics recorded included the total acreage of land, the value of the farm, machinery and livestock, amount of staples (wool, cotton, grain, etc.) produced, and the value of animals slaughtered, etc. In 1880 farm operators were classified as owner, tenant, or sharecropper.
Industry/Manufacturers— these schedules collected information about manufacturing, mining, fishing, and mercantile, commercial, and trading businesses with an annual gross product of $500 or more. The schedule lists the name of each corporation, company, or individual, a description of the type of business, amount of capital invested the quantity and value of resources used, the quantity of yearly production, and the number of individuals hired, etc. In 1870 distinctions were made between child and adult labor. In 1880 companies were classified into categories.
In my own research, I have been able to find family on the Agriculture schedule that was missing from the census. This is always worth checking to see if they are on the census and also to have a better understanding of their farm and livelihood.
How have you used agriculture and industry census records?