Official
Mehmet Emin Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1846/47 (AH 1263). On record 1877 to 1905, 25 annual entries.
Archive reference 54_126; 249
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1846/47 (AH 1263), Mehmet Emin Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a clerk (ketebe). Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
At about 27, in 1874/75, Mehmet Emin began work in Istanbul, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 750 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1877/78, places Mehmet Emin in Abu Arish (Ebu Ariş) as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru). Mehmet Emin then moved to four places in 11 years, with a rise to Muhabere Memuru in 1885/86 and to director of the second grade (2. Müdür) in 1886/87. From 1890 to 1905 every annual entry places Mehmet Emin in Nalut. Al Hudaydah, about 3,200 km from Istanbul, was the post farthest from the birthplace; fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,162 officials with a known birthplace and place of service served as far from home.
Pay rose from 750 kuruş a month in 1877/78 to a peak of 1,200 in 1886/87, as 2. Müdür in Az Zaydiyah, when 87 per cent of paid officials earned less. On average the pay stood in the top 14.3 per cent of each year's paid officials; fewer than 4 per cent of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more stood as high. The final annual entry is for 1904/05.
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 1846/47 (AH 1263); First work 1874/75 (AH 1291)
1877 to 1878 (AH 1294 to 1295)
750 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years
1885/86 (AH 1303)
No annual entry for 1882 to 1885 (AH 1300 to 1302) before it.
950 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1877/78 | 750 | 560 | 410 | 65% |
| 1878 | 750 | 600 | 500 | 61% |
| 1878/79 | 1,000 | 600 | 600 | 77% |
| 1879/80 | 800 | 500 | 500 | 77% |
| 1880/81 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 76% |
| 1881/82 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 77% |
| 1885/86 | 950 | 500 | 400 | 83% |
| 1886/87 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 87% |
| 1887/88 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 87% |
| 1888/89 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 87% |
| 1890/91 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 89% |
| 1891/92 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1892/93 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1893/94 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 91% |
| 1894/95 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 91% |
| 1895/96 | 1,200 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1896/97 | 1,080 | 500 | 765 | 91% |
| 1897/98 | 1,080 | 500 | 778.5 | 91% |
| 1898/99 | 1,080 | 500 | 800 | 91% |
| 1899/1900 | 1,080 | 500 | 783 | 90% |
| 1900/01 | 1,080 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1901/02 | 1,080 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1902/03 | 1,080 | 500 | 800 | 90% |
| 1903/04 | 1,080 | 475 | 800 | 90% |
| 1904/05 | 1,080 | 450 | 800 | 90% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1874/75AH 1291 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750first-salary field |
| 1877 to 1878AH 1294 to 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Abu Arish (Ebu Ariş) | 750 |
| 1878 to 1880AH 1296 to 1297 | Merkez Memuru | Yemen | 1,000 to 800 |
| 1880 to 1882AH 1298 to 1299 | 2. Müdür | Al Hudaydah (Hudeyde) | 800 |
| No annual entry: 1882 to 1885 (AH 1300 to 1302) | |||
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Bajil (Bacil) | 950 |
| 1886 to 1889AH 1304 to 1306 | 2. Müdür | Az Zaydiyah (Zeydiye) | 1,200 |
| No annual entry: 1889/90 (AH 1307) | |||
| 1890 to 1905AH 1308 to 1322 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 to 1,080 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1846/47 (AH 1263)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Ketebe
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 3 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
- 1874/75 (AH 1291)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 750
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 3 officials with entries in Nalut in the same years, Mehmet Emin Efendi had the highest salary.
- Mehmet Cemalettin Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Abdulhamit Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 415 officials with the title 2. Müdür in the same years, Mehmet Emin Efendi had the 108th highest salary.
- Mehmet Tevfik Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Mustafa Sıdkı Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- İbrahim Ethem Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Mehmet Nakip Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Salih Sabri Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Emin Efendi had the 215th highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Hilmi Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Abdullah Hilmi Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Ahmet Besim Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Reşid Beyborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Emin Efendi had the 282nd highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Faik Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,170 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Reşid Beyborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Avadis Şalcıyan Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Cemal Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 118 officials whose first annual entry is for 1877/78 (AH 1294), Mehmet Emin Efendi had the 18th highest salary.
- Hüseyin Sabri Efendifirst entry in Erzurum; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Mehmet Raşit Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 725 kuruş
- Cemal Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Dikran Arakilyan Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Halil Efendifirst entry in Shumen (Şumnu); highest salary 600 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (25)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Abu Arish (Ebu Ariş) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Abu Arish (Ebu Ariş) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Merkez Memuru | Yemen | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Merkez Memuru | Yemen | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | 2. Müdür | Al Hudaydah (Hudeyde) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | 2. Müdür | Al Hudaydah (Hudeyde) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Bajil (Bacil) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | 2. Müdür | Az Zaydiyah (Zeydiye) | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | 2. Müdür | Az Zaydiyah (Zeydiye) | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | 2. Müdür | Az Zaydiyah (Zeydiye) | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | 2. Müdür | Nalut | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_126; 249 |
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 Emin Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1263 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | ketebe | 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) | 3 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1291 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1874 | 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) | 750 | 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.
- 25 annual entries of 25 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 Emin Efendi
- Director of the second grade (2. Müdür)
- Nalut
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- 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)