Official
Vanis Efendi
Armenian Christian (Ermeni). Born in Damascus (Şam) in 1845/46 (AH 1262). On record 1867 to 1899, 33 annual entries. Death recorded 1899/1900.
Archive reference 97_21; 41
Life#
Born in Damascus (Şam) in 1845/46 (AH 1262), Vanis Efendi came from the Armenian Christian (Ermeni) community. Schooling took four years, at a special school (Mekteb-i Mahsusa). Vanis knew four languages, Arabic, French, Italian and Turkish, all in writing, a number reached by fewer than 5 per cent of the 5,211 officials.
Work began in Deyrulkamer in 1865/66, at about 19, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 400 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1867/68, places Vanis in Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru), with a rise to chief communications official (Başmuhabere Memuru) in 1868/69. The annual lists then follow Vanis to Baakline (Baaklin) and Bikfaya (Bekfiya) from 1869 to 1872, then back to Baakline from 1872 to 1876. Next came Zahlé (Zahle) from 1876 to 1880, then a return to Deir al-Qamar from 1880 to 1892, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür). The last posts were in Safed from 1892 to 1899.
Pay rose from 400 kuruş a month in 1867/68 to a peak of 1,000 in 1891/92, as 2. Müdür in Deir al-Qamar, when 86 per cent of paid officials earned less. The peak lasted a single year; the next list gives 750 kuruş. After the last annual entry, for 1898/99, the list of 1899/1900 (AH 1317) 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.
Not on the map, as no position is recorded: stop 2 (Deyrulkamer).
Born 1845/46 (AH 1262)
Deyrulkamer not on the map
First work 1865/66 (AH 1282)
1867 to 1869 (AH 1284 to 1285)
Muhabere Memuru 1867/68 (AH 1284); Başmuhabere Memuru 1868/69 (AH 1285)
400 to 600 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years
1880 to 1892 (AH 1298 to 1309)
950 to 1,000 kuruş a month; entries in 12 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1899/1900 (AH 1317): 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68 | 400 | 600 | 480 | 17% |
| 1868/69 | 600 | 600 | 660 | 47% |
| 1869/70 | 800 | 600 | 1,000 | 61% |
| 1870/71 | 800 | 600 | 1,000 | 63% |
| 1871/72 | 760 | 550 | 855 | 64% |
| 1872/73 | 760 | 550 | 850 | 64% |
| 1873/74 | 760 | 500 | 830 | 65% |
| 1874/75 | 760 | 535 | 800 | 65% |
| 1875/76 | 760 | 530 | 850 | 67% |
| 1876/77 | 800 | 582.5 | 800 | 67% |
| 1877/78 | 800 | 560 | 800 | 68% |
| 1878 | 800 | 600 | 800 | 65% |
| 1878/79 | 800 | 600 | 800 | 66% |
| 1879/80 | 600 | 500 | 600 | 61% |
| 1880/81 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 83% |
| 1881/82 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 83% |
| 1882/83 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 81% |
| 1883/84 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 81% |
| 1884/85 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 82% |
| 1885/86 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 83% |
| 1886/87 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 83% |
| 1887/88 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 83% |
| 1888/89 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 83% |
| 1889/90 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 84% |
| 1890/91 | 950 | 500 | 800 | 85% |
| 1891/92 | 1,000 | 500 | 800 | 86% |
| 1892/93 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
| 1893/94 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
| 1894/95 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
| 1895/96 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
| 1896/97 | 675 | 500 | 400 | 77% |
| 1897/98 | 675 | 500 | 400 | 77% |
| 1898/99 | 675 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1865/66AH 1282 | First work | Deyrulkamer | 400first-salary field |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 400 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 600 |
| 1869 to 1871AH 1286 to 1287 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 800 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | 2. Müdür | Bikfaya (Bekfiya) | 760 |
| 1872 to 1876AH 1289 to 1292 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 760 |
| 1876 to 1879AH 1293 to 1296 | 2. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 800 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | 3. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 600 |
| 1880 to 1892AH 1298 to 1309 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 to 1,000 |
| 1892 to 1899AH 1310 to 1316 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 750 to 675 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1845/46 (AH 1262)
- Birthplace
- Damascus (Şam)
- Community
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- Nationality as recorded
- Ermeni
- Death recorded
- 1899/1900 (AH 1317)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Other named school
- Mekteb-i Mahsusa (4 years)special school
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 2 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
- Arabic
- Kitabetwriting
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Italian
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1865/66 (AH 1282)
- Place
- Deyrulkamer
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 400
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 6 officials with entries in Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) in the same years, Vanis Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Habib Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Cavit Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Corci Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Fransuva Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Necip Efendi1 shared year; highest salary 750 kuruş
All 12 officials with entries in Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer)
Same job title, same years
Of the 290 officials with the title 2. Müdür in the same years, Vanis Efendi had the 148th highest salary.
- Mahmut Fazlı Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Hasan Tahsin Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Hüseyin Rüştü Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Yusuf Azmi Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hızır Abbas Efendi22 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 38 officials with Mekteb-i Mahsusa among their schools, Vanis Efendi had the 6th highest salary.
- Aziz Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Kostantin Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 750 kuruş
- Mıgırdıç Şinavder Efendiborn 1845 (AH 1261); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Rodrigez Efendiborn 1845 (AH 1261); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Avadis Şalcıyan Efendiborn 1846/47 (AH 1263); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 59 officials born in Damascus (Şam), Vanis Efendi had the 8th highest salary.
- Corci Efendiborn 1844/45 (AH 1260); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mustafa Hakkı Efendiborn 1844/45 (AH 1260); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Kamil Hakki Efendiborn 1851/52 (AH 1268); highest salary 750 kuruş
- Muhyiddin Beyborn 1851/52 (AH 1268); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Celalettin Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
The page of Damascus (Şam), with the 59 officials born there
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 73 officials whose first annual entry is for 1867/68 (AH 1284), Vanis Efendi had the 27th highest salary.
- Mehmet İzzet Efendifirst entry in Kifri (Salahiye); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Şefik Efendifirst entry in Acre (Akka); highest salary 1,800 kuruş
- Suleyman Resat Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Tayyib Hilmi Efendifirst entry in Shkodër (İşkodra); highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0142; 281)first entry in Erciş; highest salary 600 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (33)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | 2. Müdür | Bikfaya (Bekfiya) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | 2. Müdür | Baakline (Baaklin) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | 2. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | 2. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1878AH 1295 | 2. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | 2. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | 3. Müdür | Zahlé (Zahle) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | 2. Müdür | Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 675 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 675 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhabere Memuru | Safed | 675 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 97_21; 41 |
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 | Vanis Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1262 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | sam | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | suriye | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Religion | Hristiyan | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Nationality or community | Ermeni | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Mektebi Mahsusa | 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) | 2 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1282 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1865 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | Deyrulkamer | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 400 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1317 | 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.
- 30 annual entries of 33 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
- Vanis Efendi
- Director of the second grade (2. Müdür)
- Deir al-Qamar (Deyrülkamer)
- Damascus (Şam)
- Special school (Mekteb-i Mahsusa)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- 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)