Official
Mehmet Fehmi Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Nevşehir in 1857/58 (AH 1274). On record 1872 to 1907, 35 annual entries.
Archive reference 0034_0116; 229
Life#
Mehmet Fehmi Efendi was born in Nevşehir in 1857/58 (AH 1274) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a district governor or lieutenant colonel (kaymakam). Schooling took four years, at a school for young children (Sıbyan Mektebi).
Mehmet Fehmi began work in Istanbul in 1870/71, at about 13, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 75 kuruş. Fewer than 6 per cent of the 5,128 officials whose age at first work is known began work at 13 or younger. The annual lists begin in 1872/73, with Mehmet Fehmi in the correspondence office (Tahrirat Kalemi) in Istanbul, where the entries run to 1881/82. Mehmet Fehmi then moved to Tripoli (Trablusgarp) from 1882 to 1890. From 1890 to 1907 the annual entries place Mehmet Fehmi again in Istanbul.
The salary went from 75 kuruş a month in 1872/73 to 1,100 in 1905/06, the peak, in the Tahrirat Kalemi in Istanbul, when nine in ten paid officials earned less. In all, 35 years of salary come to 270,420 kuruş, 1.3 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1906/07.
Places in order of time#
Each number is a stop: the birthplace, the place of first work, then every place of the annual entries in turn. The year beside an arrow is the first entry at the new place.
Born 1857/58 (AH 1274)
First work 1870/71 (AH 1287); 1872 to 1882 (AH 1289 to 1299)
Tahrirat Kalemi 1872 to 1882 (AH 1289 to 1299); Muhabere Memuru 1878 to 1879 (AH 1295 to 1296)
75 to 500 kuruş a month; entries in 10 years
No annual entry for 1879/80 (AH 1297).
1882 to 1890 (AH 1300 to 1307)
600 to 800 kuruş a month; entries in 8 years
1890 to 1907 (AH 1308 to 1324)
500 to 1,100 kuruş a month; entries in 17 years
Career and salary#
Log scale: equal steps are equal ratios. The median of the same title is drawn for the years in which at least 5 officials with that title had a salary.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73 | 75 | 550 | 400 | 0% |
| 1873/74 | 150 | 500 | 400 | 5% |
| 1874/75 | 150 | 535 | 420 | 5% |
| 1875/76 | 240 | 530 | 700 | 9% |
| 1876/77 | 500 | 582.5 | 600 | 36% |
| 1877/78 | 500 | 560 | 700 | 36% |
| 1878 | 300 | 600 | 500 | 8% |
| 1878/79 | 300 | 600 | 420 | 9% |
| 1880/81 | 200 | 500 | 460 | 5% |
| 1881/82 | 200 | 500 | 480 | 5% |
| 1882/83 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 59% |
| 1883/84 | 600 | 500 | 580 | 59% |
| 1884/85 | 600 | 500 | 600 | 59% |
| 1885/86 | 600 | 500 | 600 | 58% |
| 1886/87 | 600 | 500 | 580 | 59% |
| 1887/88 | 800 | 500 | 620 | 76% |
| 1888/89 | 800 | 500 | 600 | 77% |
| 1889/90 | 800 | 500 | 500 | 78% |
| 1890/91 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 43% |
| 1891/92 | 650 | 500 | 500 | 71% |
| 1892/93 | 650 | 500 | 600 | 71% |
| 1893/94 | 750 | 500 | 545 | 76% |
| 1894/95 | 750 | 500 | 650 | 76% |
| 1895/96 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 80% |
| 1896/97 | 720 | 500 | 720 | 81% |
| 1897/98 | 750 | 500 | 720 | 85% |
| 1898/99 | 850 | 500 | 800 | 87% |
| 1899/1900 | 900 | 500 | 745 | 85% |
| 1900/01 | 1,000 | 500 | 705 | 87% |
| 1901/02 | 1,000 | 500 | 750 | 87% |
| 1902/03 | 1,000 | 500 | 645 | 87% |
| 1903/04 | 1,000 | 475 | 837.5 | 87% |
| 1904/05 | 1,000 | 450 | 775 | 87% |
| 1905/06 | 1,100 | 475 | 737.5 | 89% |
| 1906/07 | 1,100 | 450 | 875 | 89% |
Paid less: the share of the other officials with a salary that year who earned less.
Point at a year for its salary, title, place and the median of all officials paid that year. Choose a row of the table to mark its years in the charts and its stop on the map.
| Years | Title | Place | Salary (kuruş a month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870/71AH 1287 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 75first-salary field |
| 1872 to 1878AH 1289 to 1294 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 75 to 500 |
| 1878 to 1879AH 1295 to 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 |
| No annual entry: 1879/80 (AH 1297) | |||
| 1880 to 1882AH 1298 to 1299 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 |
| 1882 to 1890AH 1300 to 1307 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 600 to 800 |
| 1890 to 1907AH 1308 to 1324 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 to 1,100 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1857/58 (AH 1274)
- Birthplace
- Nevşehir
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Kaymakam
Education
- Primary
- Sıbyan Mektebi (4 years)school for young children (primary school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 2 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Low
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- NoShown as in the flag of the paper. The qualification column of the recovered extract gives yes.
The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.
Languages
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1870/71 (AH 1287)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 75
Recorded with#
Officials who share a place, a job title, a school, a birthplace or the year of the first annual entry. Ranks compare the highest monthly salary of each official.
Same place, same years
Of the 1,477 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Fehmi Efendi had the 342nd highest salary.
- Suleyman Resat Bey27 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey27 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi27 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0144; 285)27 shared years; highest salary 2,750 kuruş
- Mehmet Şükrü Efendi27 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 100 officials with the title Tahrirat Kalemi in the same years, Mehmet Fehmi Efendi had the 25th highest salary.
- Hacı Bekir Efendi31 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Komidas Efendi29 shared years; highest salary 875 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0006_0303; 601)26 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Mustafa Hamdi Bey26 shared years; highest salary 1,050 kuruş
- Mehmet Şerefeddin Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,700 kuruş
Same school
Of the 746 officials with Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, 745 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Fehmi Efendi had the 185th highest salary of them.
- Abdürrezzak Talat Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 750 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 730 kuruş
- Ahmet Nihalettin Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Şefik Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Galip Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 270 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 39 officials born in Nevşehir, Mehmet Fehmi Efendi had the 4th highest salary.
- Mehmet Fehmi Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Kamil Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Fazıl Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 900 kuruş
- Mehmed Hazım Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Bekir Zuhtu Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 650 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 84 officials whose first annual entry is for 1872/73 (AH 1289), Mehmet Fehmi Efendi had the 24th highest salary.
- Ahmet Rifat Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mehmet Cemal Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Ömer Faik Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Zühdü Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,435 kuruş
- İsmail Hakkı Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 790 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (35)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 75 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 240 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Tripoli (Trablusgarp) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 720 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0116; 229 |
What the sources named in this table are
- Recovered annual personnel extract
- The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
Sources and original values (14)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mehmet Fehmi Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1274 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | nevsehir | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | konya | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | kaymakam | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Religion | Musluman | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Nationality or community | Turkish | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Sibyan mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 2 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1287 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1870 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 75 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract
- The detailed annual personnel file of October 2024. An official found only in this file keeps the years, titles and salaries it gives.
- Recovered annual personnel extract
- The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
- Personnel attributes extract
- The detailed personnel file of September 2025, read for personal details such as birth, schooling and first work.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 34 annual entries of 35 belong to the saved estimation sample of the paper.
How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.
Subjects
- Mehmet Fehmi Efendi
- Correspondence office (Tahrirat Kalemi)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Nevşehir
- School for young children (Sıbyan Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Biography of an Ottoman official (Osmanlı memurunun biyografisi)
- Career and pay (memuriyet ve maaş)
- Ottoman history (Osmanlı tarihi)
- Ottoman bureaucracy (Osmanlı bürokrasisi)
- Ottoman officials (Osmanlı'da memurlar)
- Ottoman personnel registers (Sicill-i Ahvâl defterleri)
- Ottoman registers (Osmanlı defterleri)