Official
Abdullah Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Ruse (Rusçuk) in 1862/63 (AH 1279). On record 1876 to 1897, 21 annual entries.
Archive reference 54_221; 439
Life#
Born in Ruse (Rusçuk) in 1862/63 (AH 1279) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, Abdullah Efendi was the child of a tradesman (esnaf). Abdullah had seven years of schooling, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
At about 10, in 1872/73, Abdullah began work in Babadag, with four unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 150 kuruş. Only 33 of the 5,128 officials whose age at first work is known began work at 10 or younger. The annual lists begin in 1876/77, with Abdullah as an official (Memur) in Babadag (Babadağ). Next came Damascus (Şam) from 1878 to 1887, with a rise to communications official (Muhabere Memuru), then Mesmiye in 1887/88. The last posts were in Damascus again from 1888 to 1897.
Pay rose from 150 kuruş a month in 1876/77 to a peak of 500 in 1887/88, as Muhabere Memuru in Mesmiye, when 41 per cent of paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 380 kuruş. Over 21 years the salaries add up to 86,760 kuruş, 67 per cent of what an official on the median salary earned. The last annual entry is for 1896/97.
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.
Not on the map, as no position is recorded: stop 2 (Babadag).
Born 1862/63 (AH 1279)
Babadag not on the map
First work 1872/73 (AH 1289)
1878 to 1887 (AH 1296 to 1304)
No annual entry for 1878 (AH 1295) before it.
285 to 380 kuruş a month; entries in 9 years
1888 to 1897 (AH 1306 to 1314)
380 to 430 kuruş a month; entries in 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77 | 150 | 582.5 | 400 | 3% |
| 1877/78 | 150 | 560 | 400 | 2% |
| 1878/79 | 300 | 600 | 420 | 9% |
| 1879/80 | 285 | 500 | 380 | 11% |
| 1880/81 | 285 | 500 | 400 | 11% |
| 1881/82 | 285 | 500 | 400 | 10% |
| 1882/83 | 285 | 500 | 400 | 8% |
| 1883/84 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 18% |
| 1884/85 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 18% |
| 1885/86 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 19% |
| 1886/87 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 19% |
| 1887/88 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 41% |
| 1888/89 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 21% |
| 1889/90 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 21% |
| 1890/91 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 22% |
| 1891/92 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 24% |
| 1892/93 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 24% |
| 1893/94 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 25% |
| 1894/95 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 26% |
| 1895/96 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 26% |
| 1896/97 | 430 | 500 | 400 | 44% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73AH 1289 | First work | Babadag | 150first-salary field |
| 1876 to 1878AH 1293 to 1294 | Memur | Babadag (Babadağ) | 150 |
| No annual entry: 1878 (AH 1295) | |||
| 1878 to 1887AH 1296 to 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 300 to 380 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Mesmiye | 500 |
| 1888 to 1897AH 1306 to 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 to 430 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1862/63 (AH 1279)
- Birthplace
- Ruse (Rusçuk)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Esnaf
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 4 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Low
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- No
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
- 1872/73 (AH 1289)
- Place
- Babadag
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 150
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 65 officials with entries in Damascus (Şam) in the same years, Abdullah Efendi had the 47th highest salary.
- Ahmet Emin Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 790 kuruş
- Cafer Sadık Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0087_0150, sayfa no:297.)15 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Mustafa Hakkı Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mahmut Hilmi Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 1,791 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Abdullah Efendi had the 1,095th highest salary.
- Ömer Nuri Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Tahir Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Nikola Yunani Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazım Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Şarl Laze Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Abdullah Efendi had the 1,253rd highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Talat Efendiborn 1862/63 (AH 1279); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Abdüllatif Lütfü Efendiborn 1862/63 (AH 1279); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Abdülvahhab Efendiborn 1862/63 (AH 1279); highest salary 550 kuruş
- Abrik Nadir Efendiborn 1862/63 (AH 1279); highest salary 300 kuruş
- Ahmet Azmi Beyborn 1862/63 (AH 1279); highest salary 680 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 13 officials born in Ruse (Rusçuk), Abdullah Efendi had the 10th highest salary.
- Huseyin Rusdi Efendiborn 1861/62 (AH 1278); highest salary 1,800 kuruş
- Abdullah Kemali Efendiborn 1860/61 (AH 1277); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmed Şevki Efendiborn 1855/56 (AH 1272); highest salary 600 kuruş
- İbrahim Ethem Efendiborn 1872/73 (AH 1289); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendiborn 1872/73 (AH 1289); highest salary 500 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1876/77 (AH 1293), Abdullah Efendi had the 78th highest salary.
- İbrahim Subhi Beyfirst entry in Ioannina (Yanya); highest salary 500 kuruş
- İbrahim Subhi Efendifirst entry in Ioannina (Yanya); highest salary 500 kuruş
- İbrahim Suphi Efendifirst entry in Ioannina (Yanya); highest salary 2,750 kuruş
- İsmail Nuri Efendifirst entry in Keşan; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Ali Galip Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 100 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (21)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Memur | Babadag (Babadağ) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Memur | Babadag (Babadağ) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 285 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 285 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 285 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 285 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Mesmiye | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 430 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_221; 439 |
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 | Abdullah Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1279 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | ruscuk | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | tuna | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Esnaf | 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 | Rusdiye Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 7 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1289 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1872 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | Babadag | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 150 | 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.
- 21 annual entries of 21 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
- Abdullah Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Damascus (Şam)
- Ruse (Rusçuk)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye 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)