Beginning in 1840, the U.S. Census began an Agricultural Census to collect detailed information on farms and agriculture by county. These reports varied widely by year and state. Some of these reports are available online at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Census of Agriculture Web page. The 1840-1880 reports also may be found on Ancestry.com and via the National Archives.
This census lists farms by owners name and includes information on the value of the farm, acreage, farming machinery, crops and livestock production, etc.
