Official
Karabet Efendi
Armenian Christian (Ermeni). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1834/35 (AH 1250). On record 1864 to 1885, 21 annual entries.
Archive reference 0063_0158; 311
Life#
Karabet Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1834/35 (AH 1250) into the Armenian Christian (Ermeni) community; the father's occupation was "Papaz". In all Karabet knew four languages, Armenian, English and French in writing and Turkish in speech; fewer than 5 per cent of the 5,211 officials knew as many.
Karabet began work in the telegraph service (Telgraf) in Istanbul in 1863/64, at about 29, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 720 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1864/65, places Karabet in Beirut (Beyrut) as a chief communications official (Başmuhabere Memuru). Karabet then moved to Gaza (Gazze) and Beirut from 1866 to 1869. From 1869 to 1885 every annual entry places Karabet in Jaffa (Yafa), first as an official for foreign communications (Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti), from 1874/75 as a customs official (Rüsumat Memuru).
The salary never rose above the first in the lists, 720 kuruş a month in 1864/65, as Başmuhabere Memuru in Beirut, when 52 per cent of paid officials earned less. After 21 years the salary stood below the first, 400 kuruş against 720; 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 1884/85.
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.
1864 to 1866 (AH 1281 to 1282)
720 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years
1869 to 1885 (AH 1286 to 1302)
Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti 1869 to 1873 (AH 1286 to 1289); Rüsumat Memuru 1874 to 1885 (AH 1291 to 1302)
320 to 700 kuruş a month; entries in 16 years
No annual entry for 1873/74 (AH 1290).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864/65 | 720 | 625 | 52% | |
| 1865/66 | 720 | 650 | 52% | |
| 1866/67 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 49% |
| 1867/68 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 48% |
| 1868/69 | 600 | 600 | 570 | 47% |
| 1869/70 | 700 | 600 | 576 | 58% |
| 1870/71 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 58% |
| 1871/72 | 700 | 550 | 570 | 61% |
| 1872/73 | 700 | 550 | 585 | 61% |
| 1874/75 | 400 | 535 | 400 | 23% |
| 1875/76 | 400 | 530 | 400 | 23% |
| 1876/77 | 400 | 582.5 | 375 | 17% |
| 1877/78 | 400 | 560 | 500 | 16% |
| 1878 | 400 | 600 | 400 | 17% |
| 1878/79 | 400 | 600 | 325 | 18% |
| 1879/80 | 320 | 500 | 400 | 19% |
| 1880/81 | 320 | 500 | 320 | 18% |
| 1881/82 | 320 | 500 | 300 | 17% |
| 1882/83 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 28% |
| 1883/84 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1884/85 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Telgraffirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 720first-salary field |
| 1864 to 1866AH 1281 to 1282 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Beirut (Beyrut) | 720 |
| 1866 to 1868AH 1283 to 1284 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Gaza (Gazze) | 600 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beirut (Beyrut) | 600 |
| 1869 to 1873AH 1286 to 1289 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Jaffa (Yafa) | 700 |
| No annual entry: 1873/74 (AH 1290) | |||
| 1874 to 1885AH 1291 to 1302 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1834/35 (AH 1250)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- Nationality as recorded
- Ermeni
- Father's occupation
- Papaz
Education
- Community school
- Ermeni Millet Mektebi (4 years)Armenian community school; place of the school as worded: Haskoy
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 1 year
- 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
- Armenian
- Kitabetwriting
- English
- Kitabetwriting
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Tekellumspeaking
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1863/64 (AH 1280)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Telgraf
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 30
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 720
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 720
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 17 officials with entries in Jaffa (Yafa) in the same years, Karabet Efendi had the 12th highest salary.
- Yusuf Raci Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Nakib Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Nakip Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Yorgi Vasilyadi Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Abdullah Naili Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 27 officials with the title Rüsumat Memuru in the same years, Karabet Efendi had the 10th highest salary.
- Mahmut Celalettin Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Omer Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Salih Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Hafız Hacı Aluş Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Riza Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same school
Of the 86 officials with Ermeni Millet Mektebi among their schools, Karabet Efendi had the 36th highest salary.
- Balyan Jozef Efendiborn 1835/36 (AH 1251); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- İstefan Diyon Efendiborn 1836/37 (AH 1252); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mıgırdiç Acemyanborn 1837/38 (AH 1253); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Aleksandir Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Agop Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 400 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Karabet Efendi had the 691st highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Resmi Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 400 kuruş
- El-Hac Ahmet Nafiz Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hasan Edip Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- İsmail Hakkı Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Ali Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 40 officials whose first annual entry is for 1864/65 (AH 1281), Karabet Efendi had the 35th highest salary.
- Mehmet Şükrü Efendifirst entry in Izmir (İzmir); highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Tertine Efendifirst entry in Gaza (Gazze); highest salary 850 kuruş
- Hacı Mahmut Rifat Efendifirst annual entry 1864/65 (AH 1281); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Kadri Paşafirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Sait Efendfirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 620 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (21)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Beirut (Beyrut) | 720 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Beirut (Beyrut) | 720 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Gaza (Gazze) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Gaza (Gazze) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Beirut (Beyrut) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Jaffa (Yafa) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Jaffa (Yafa) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Jaffa (Yafa) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhaberat-ı Ecnebiye Memuriyeti | Jaffa (Yafa) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 320 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 320 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 320 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Rüsumat Memuru | Jaffa (Yafa) | 400 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0063_0158; 311 |
What the sources named in this table are
- Cross-ministry personnel workbook
- A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
- 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 (25)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Karabet Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1250 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace | dersaadet used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | istanbul other value | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: district (kaza) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: sancak | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: province (vilayet) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Province of birth | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Papaz | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Religion | Hristiyan | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Nationality or community | Ermeni | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Ermeni Millet Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Place of the school | Haskoy | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of schooling | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1280 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1863 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: district (kaza) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: sancak | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: province (vilayet) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First job as worded | Telgraf | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 30 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 720 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 720 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
What the sources named in this table are
- Cross-ministry personnel workbook
- A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
- 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.
- Linked personnel workbook
- The original personnel workbook, from which selected fields on background and first work are taken.
- The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 3 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
- Karabet Efendi
- Customs official (Rüsumat Memuru)
- Jaffa (Yafa)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Armenian community school (Ermeni Millet Mektebi)
- Customs (Gümrük)
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- 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)