Official
Mehmet Sait Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1839/40 (AH 1255). On record 1859 to 1899, 41 annual entries.
Archive reference 0034_0201; 399
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1839/40 (AH 1255) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, Mehmet Sait Efendi was the child of a telegraph official (telgraf memuru). Schooling took four years, at a school for young children (Sıbyan Mektebi).
At about 20, in 1859/60, Mehmet Sait began work in Izmir (İzmir), paid from the start, on 250 kuruş a month. The annual lists begin in 1859/60, with Mehmet Sait as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in Izmir, where the entries run to 1867/68. Next came Kastamonu from 1868 to 1871, then Osmaneli (Lefke) from 1871 to 1882. Mehmet Sait then moved to Bilecik from 1882 to 1894, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür). The last posts were in Ankara from 1894 to 1899, with a rise to chief official (Başmemur). Entries spanning 41 years are rare, reached by fewer than 3 per cent of the 5,211 officials.
The salary went from 250 kuruş a month in 1859/60 to 1,000 in 1894/95, the peak, as Başmemur in Ankara, when 87 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 41 years of salary come to 312,360 kuruş, 1.2 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The last annual entry is for 1898/99.
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 1839/40 (AH 1255)
First work 1859/60 (AH 1276); 1859 to 1868 (AH 1276 to 1284)
250 to 300 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, and the median of the same province for the years in which at least 5 officials were paid in the province of the official's salary that year.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Median, same province | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859/60 | 250 | 500 | 500 | 775 | 20% |
| 1860/61 | 250 | 500 | 500 | 700 | 12% |
| 1861/62 | 250 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 12% |
| 1862/63 | 250 | 500 | 500 | 1,400 | 12% |
| 1863/64 | 250 | 500 | 500 | 1,200 | 8% |
| 1864/65 | 300 | 625 | 570 | 750 | 11% |
| 1865/66 | 300 | 650 | 576 | 720 | 10% |
| 1866/67 | 300 | 600 | 480 | 1,000 | 9% |
| 1867/68 | 300 | 600 | 480 | 1,000 | 8% |
| 1868/69 | 480 | 600 | 480 | 480 | 32% |
| 1869/70 | 550 | 600 | 400 | 576 | 46% |
| 1870/71 | 550 | 600 | 400 | 550 | 47% |
| 1871/72 | 760 | 550 | 855 | 480 | 64% |
| 1872/73 | 760 | 550 | 850 | 570 | 64% |
| 1873/74 | 760 | 500 | 830 | 475 | 65% |
| 1874/75 | 760 | 535 | 800 | 450 | 65% |
| 1875/76 | 760 | 530 | 850 | 500 | 67% |
| 1876/77 | 600 | 582.5 | 600 | 550 | 50% |
| 1877/78 | 600 | 560 | 600 | 500 | 50% |
| 1878 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 46% |
| 1878/79 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 47% |
| 1879/80 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 400 | 47% |
| 1880/81 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 475 | 47% |
| 1881/82 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 500 | 46% |
| 1882/83 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 500 | 76% |
| 1883/84 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 500 | 76% |
| 1884/85 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 500 | 76% |
| 1885/86 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 500 | 77% |
| 1886/87 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 77% |
| 1887/88 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 76% |
| 1888/89 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 77% |
| 1889/90 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 78% |
| 1890/91 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 79% |
| 1891/92 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 79% |
| 1892/93 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 475 | 80% |
| 1893/94 | 800 | 500 | 800 | 427.5 | 80% |
| 1894/95 | 1,000 | 500 | 825 | 400 | 87% |
| 1895/96 | 1,000 | 500 | 1,000 | 400 | 87% |
| 1896/97 | 900 | 500 | 900 | 400 | 88% |
| 1897/98 | 900 | 500 | 900 | 400 | 88% |
| 1898/99 | 900 | 500 | 945 | 400 | 87% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1859/60AH 1276 | First work | Izmir (İzmir) | 250first-salary field |
| 1859 to 1868AH 1276 to 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 250 to 300 |
| 1868 to 1871AH 1285 to 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Kastamonu | 480 to 550 |
| 1871 to 1876AH 1288 to 1292 | 2. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 760 |
| 1876 to 1882AH 1293 to 1299 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 600 to 500 |
| 1882 to 1894AH 1300 to 1311 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 |
| 1894 to 1899AH 1312 to 1316 | Başmemur | Ankara | 1,000 to 900 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1839/40 (AH 1255)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Telgraf Memuru
Education
- Primary
- Sıbyan Mektebi (4 years)school for young children (primary school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0 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
- 1859/60 (AH 1276)
- Place
- Izmir (İzmir)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 250
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 post (job title and place), same years
Of the 6 officials who held Muhabere Memuru in Izmir (İzmir) in the same years, Mehmet Sait Efendi had the lowest salary.
- Martir Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Israti Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Mahmut Aziz Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Tevfik Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 11 officials with entries in Bilecik in the same years, Mehmet Sait Efendi had the 4th highest salary.
- İdris Rıfat Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 470 kuruş
- Ziya Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmet Tevfik Bey2 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Hüseyin Sıtkı Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Ahmet Recai Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 289 officials with the title 2. Müdür in the same years, Mehmet Sait Efendi had the 151st highest salary.
- Ahmet Bilal Efendi17 shared years; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Hasan Tahsin Efendi17 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Hüseyin Rüştü Efendi17 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet İzzet Efendi17 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Yusuf Azmi Efendi17 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same school
Of the 746 officials with Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, 745 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Sait Efendi had the 194th highest salary of them.
- Abdulhamit Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Abdullah Şükrü Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Cavit Beyborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Sait Efendi had the 354th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Apostolaki Cizli Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,440 kuruş
- Hacı Mehmet Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 550 kuruş
- Haci Mehmet Sezayi Beyborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Hacı Osman Nuri Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,250 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 21 officials whose first annual entry is for 1859/60 (AH 1276), Mehmet Sait Efendi had the 19th highest salary.
- Osman Nuri Efendifirst entry in Izmir (İzmir); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendifirst entry in Izmir (İzmir); highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Ahmet Cavit Beyfirst entry in Plovdiv (Filibe); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mustafa Efendifirst entry in Thessaloniki (Selanik); highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Mustafa İsmet Efendifirst entry in Ruse (Rusçuk); highest salary 1,350 kuruş
All 21 officials whose first annual entry is for 1859/60 (AH 1276)
Full record
Annual entries (41)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859/60AH 1276 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1860/61AH 1277 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Izmir (İzmir) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhabere Memuru | Kastamonu | 480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Kastamonu | 550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Kastamonu | 550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | 2. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | 2. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 2. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | 2. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | 2. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1878AH 1295 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | 3. Müdür | Osmaneli (Lefke) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | 2. Müdür | Bilecik | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Başmemur | Ankara | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Başmemur | Ankara | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Başmemur | Ankara | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Başmemur | Ankara | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Başmemur | Ankara | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0201; 399 |
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 Sait Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1255 | 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 | telgraf memuru | 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) | 0 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1276 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1860 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | izmir | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 250 | 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.
- 30 annual entries of 41 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 Sait Efendi
- Director of the second grade (2. Müdür)
- Osmaneli (Lefke)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- 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)