Hi - Perhaps this could be your William Palmer...
1851 Census: Radge Farm, Tavistock, Devon
William PALMER Head M 81 M Farmer Of 130 Acres Employ 3 Men Tavistock-Dev
Ann Maria PALMER Wife M 63 F Farmers Wife Lifton-Dev
George PALMER Bro U 68 M Agl Bro Tavistock-Dev
George PALMER Son U 32 M Farmers Son Bridestow-Dev
Richard PALMER Son U 24 M Farmers Son Lidford-Dev
Mary Ann TUCKER Serv U 18 F House Serv Brentor-Dev
Elizabeth STEVENS Lodg U 26 F Work At Copper Mine Bridestow-Dev
Eliza Chubb PALMER Niec 5 F Tavistock-Dev
Present address: Radge Farm, Peter Tavy, Tavistock, Devon
For photos Google: Images for Radge Farm, Tavistock
Ordinary people didn't generally own the farms themselves but were tenant farmers, see...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenant_farmerGood luck.Sue