Official
Mustafa Sami Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1857/58 (AH 1274). On record 1881 to 1896, 15 annual entries. Death recorded 1896/97.
Archive reference 0087_0153:303
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1857/58 (AH 1274), Mustafa Sami Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a tradesman (esnaf). Mustafa Sami began work in Istanbul in 1873/74, at about 16, with nine unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 380 kuruş. Fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,142 officials with a known apprenticeship worked unpaid for nine years or longer. The first annual entry, for 1881/82, places Mustafa Sami in Princes' Islands (Adalar) as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru). Mustafa Sami then moved back to Istanbul, the birthplace, from 1883 to 1888, then Eyüpsultan from 1888 to 1895. The last post was in Beyoğlu in 1895/96.
The salary never rose above the first in the lists, 380 kuruş a month in 1881/82, as Muhabere Memuru in Princes' Islands, when one in five paid officials earned less. After 15 years the salary stood below the first, 300 kuruş against 380; fewer than 7 per cent of the 2,010 officials paid for 15 years or more ended as low. The last annual entry is for 1895/96; the list of 1896/97 (AH 1314) gives the status word Vefat (death).
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 1873/74 (AH 1290)
1881 to 1883 (AH 1299 to 1300)
380 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years
1883 to 1888 (AH 1301 to 1305)
300 kuruş a month; entries in 5 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1896/97 (AH 1314): the word Vefat, not a date of death.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1881/82 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 20% |
| 1882/83 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 18% |
| 1883/84 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 12% |
| 1884/85 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 11% |
| 1885/86 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 12% |
| 1886/87 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 11% |
| 1887/88 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 11% |
| 1888/89 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 12% |
| 1889/90 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 14% |
| 1890/91 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 15% |
| 1891/92 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 16% |
| 1892/93 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 17% |
| 1893/94 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 17% |
| 1894/95 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 17% |
| 1895/96 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 17% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1873/74AH 1290 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 380first-salary field |
| 1881 to 1883AH 1299 to 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Princes' Islands (Adalar) | 380 |
| 1883 to 1888AH 1301 to 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 |
| 1888 to 1895AH 1306 to 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Beyoğlu | 300 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1857/58 (AH 1274)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Esnaf
- Death recorded
- 1896/97 (AH 1314)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 9 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
- 1873/74 (AH 1290)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 380
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 7 officials with entries in Eyüpsultan in the same years, Mustafa Sami Efendi had the lowest salary.
- Mehmed Cemal Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Halit Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 630 kuruş
- Mehmet Kemalettin Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 450 kuruş
- Ahmet Rifat Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Bahattin Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 1,587 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mustafa Sami Efendi had the 1,464th highest salary.
- Mehmet Arif Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 3,600 kuruş
- Mehmet Hulusi Bey15 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
- Ömer Nuri Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Tahir Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- İbrahim Vehbi Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 1,480 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mustafa Sami Efendi had the 2,060th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet İzzet Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmet İzzet Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ahmet Rıfat Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmet Tayyip Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 540 kuruş
- Ahmet Vasfi Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mustafa Sami Efendi had the 1,358th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Emin Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Ahmet İzzet Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ahmet Nihalettin Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Şefik Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Ferit Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 500 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 86 officials whose first annual entry is for 1881/82 (AH 1299), Mustafa Sami Efendi had the 74th highest salary.
- Hasan Tahsin Efendifirst entry in Çal; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Kazım Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Faik Beyfirst entry in Plovdiv (Filibe); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Mehmed Kemal Efendifirst entry in Sivas; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Sadık Efendifirst entry in Galata; highest salary 750 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (15)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Princes' Islands (Adalar) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Princes' Islands (Adalar) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Eyüpsultan | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Beyoğlu | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0087_0153:303 |
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 (15)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mustafa Sami Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1274 | 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 | Esnaf | Recovered 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) | 9 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1290 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1873 | 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) | 380 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1314 | Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy); Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy) |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy)
- A copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read for the title wording of each year. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death.
- Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy)
- A second copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read in the same way. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death. Two copies that agree are one piece of evidence, not two.
- 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.
- 15 annual entries of 15 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
- Mustafa Sami Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Eyüpsultan
- 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)