Official
İstepan Efendi
Armenian Christian (Ermeni). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1845/46 (AH 1262). On record 1866 to 1904, 39 annual entries.
Archive reference 0062_0245; 485
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1845/46 (AH 1262), İstepan Efendi came from the Armenian Christian (Ermeni) community; the father was a merchant (tüccar). Schooling took four years, at a community school (Millet Mektebi); İstepan also attended the telegraph school and wrote Armenian as well as Turkish.
İstepan began work in Istanbul in 1864/65, at about 18, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 960 kuruş. From 1866/67 to 1903/04 every annual entry places İstepan in Istanbul, the birthplace, first as a machine official (Makine Memuru), from 1876/77 as a factory official (Fabrika Memuru). Few careers in the lists are as long; fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,211 officials have entries spanning 39 years or more.
The salary never rose above the first in the lists, 960 kuruş a month in 1866/67, as Makine Memuru in Istanbul, when two in three paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 800 kuruş. After 39 years the salary stood below the first, 815 kuruş against 960; fewer than 7 per cent of the 2,010 officials paid for 15 years or more ended as low. Over 39 years the salaries add up to 324,960 kuruş, 1.3 times what an official on the median salary earned. The last annual entry is for 1903/04.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1866/67 | 960 | 600 | 500 | 66% | |
| 1867/68 | 800 | 600 | 576 | 61% | |
| 1868/69 | 800 | 600 | 442.5 | 500 | 61% |
| 1869/70 | 800 | 600 | 450 | 520 | 61% |
| 1870/71 | 800 | 600 | 450 | 500 | 63% |
| 1871/72 | 760 | 550 | 525 | 500 | 64% |
| 1872/73 | 760 | 550 | 525 | 550 | 64% |
| 1873/74 | 760 | 500 | 522.5 | 500 | 65% |
| 1874/75 | 760 | 535 | 537.5 | 522.5 | 65% |
| 1875/76 | 760 | 530 | 537.5 | 550 | 67% |
| 1876/77 | 400 | 582.5 | 587.5 | 17% | |
| 1877/78 | 400 | 560 | 400 | 600 | 16% |
| 1878 | 400 | 600 | 400 | 600 | 17% |
| 1878/79 | 600 | 600 | 425 | 600 | 47% |
| 1879/80 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 47% |
| 1880/81 | 500 | 500 | 300 | 500 | 47% |
| 1881/82 | 500 | 500 | 375 | 500 | 46% |
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 375 | 500 | 43% |
| 1883/84 | 500 | 500 | 425 | 500 | 43% |
| 1884/85 | 500 | 500 | 425 | 500 | 42% |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 42% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 650 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 70% |
| 1888/89 | 750 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 73% |
| 1889/90 | 750 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 74% |
| 1890/91 | 750 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 75% |
| 1891/92 | 750 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 75% |
| 1892/93 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 76% |
| 1893/94 | 850 | 500 | 500 | 480 | 85% |
| 1894/95 | 850 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 85% |
| 1895/96 | 850 | 500 | 500 | 440 | 84% |
| 1896/97 | 765 | 500 | 500 | 425 | 85% |
| 1897/98 | 765 | 500 | 500 | 425 | 85% |
| 1898/99 | 765 | 500 | 504 | 440 | 84% |
| 1899/1900 | 815 | 500 | 554 | 450 | 85% |
| 1900/01 | 815 | 500 | 554 | 450 | 84% |
| 1901/02 | 815 | 500 | 600 | 440 | 84% |
| 1902/03 | 815 | 500 | 600 | 450 | 84% |
| 1903/04 | 815 | 475 | 630 | 450 | 84% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1864/65AH 1281 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 960first-salary field |
| 1866 to 1876AH 1283 to 1292 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 960 to 760 |
| 1876 to 1904AH 1293 to 1321 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 to 815 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1845/46 (AH 1262)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- Nationality as recorded
- Ermeni
- Father's occupation
- Tuccar
Education
- Community school
- Millet Mektebi (4 years)community school (school of a non-Muslim community)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- 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
- Armenian
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1864/65 (AH 1281)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 960
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 18 officials who held Fabrika Memuru in Istanbul in the same years, İstepan Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Ahmet Faik Efendi29 shared years; highest salary 1,170 kuruş
- Mehmet Ziya Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 450 kuruş
- Mehmet İbrahim Efendi24 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazmi Efendi21 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 1,438 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, İstepan Efendi had the 463rd highest salary.
- Mehmet Hayri Bey39 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi39 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Salim Bey39 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Ali Kaya Bey39 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendi39 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 21 officials with the title Fabrika Memuru in the same years, İstepan Efendi had the 3rd highest salary.
- Ahmet Faik Efendi29 shared years; highest salary 1,170 kuruş
- Mehmet Ziya Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 450 kuruş
- Mehmet İbrahim Efendi24 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazmi Efendi21 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same school
Of the 263 officials with Millet Mektebi among their schools, İstepan Efendi had the 23rd highest salary.
- Agop Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 675 kuruş
- Erkri Hristro Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Fetullah Nuri Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mıgırdıç Kirkoryanborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 1,400 kuruş
- Ohannes Bogosyan Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 800 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; İstepan Efendi had the 448th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmet Tevfik Beyborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 1,750 kuruş
- Ali Refik Beyborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 6,000 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 200 kuruş
- Haci Sefik Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 2,375 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 46 officials whose first annual entry is for 1866/67 (AH 1283), İstepan Efendi had the 31st highest salary.
- Cemal Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Karabet Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,400 kuruş
- Hacı İsmail Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,560 kuruş
- Abdüllatif Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Mustafa Zihni Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 990 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (39)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 960 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Makine Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 765 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 765 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 765 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 815 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 815 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 815 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 815 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Fabrika Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 815 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0245; 485 |
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 | İstepan Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1262 | 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 | tuccar | 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 | Millet 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 |
| Telegraph school (recorded code) | 1 | 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) | 1281 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1864 | 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) | 960 | 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.
- 35 annual entries of 39 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
- İstepan Efendi
- Factory official (Fabrika Memuru)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community school (Millet Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Armenian Christian (Ermeni)
- Machine official (Makine Memuru)
- 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)