Official
Mehmed Şefik Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Sivas in 1840/41 (AH 1256). On record 1862 to 1901, 36 annual entries. Death recorded 1901/02.
Archive reference 3_224;444
Life#
Mehmed Şefik Efendi was born in Sivas in 1840/41 (AH 1256), into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, and the father's occupation was "Tomruk Muduru". Schooling took four years, at a primary school (İbtidai Mektebi); Mehmed Şefik also wrote Turkish and had some knowledge of Arabic and Persian.
Mehmed Şefik began work in the Tahrirat Kalemi in Sivas in 1856/57, at about 16, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 40 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1862/63, places Mehmed Şefik in Gürün in the land office (Arazi Kalemi). Mehmed Şefik then moved to seven places in 14 years, from Siverek to Kastamonu, then back to Erzurum from 1877 to 1879. Next came Aydın, Sana'a (Sana) and Mecca (Mekke) from 1880 to 1892. The last posts were in Hicaz from 1892 to 1901, first as a chief director (Başmüdür), from 1895/96 as a director (Müdür). Nine provinces in all, a number reached by fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,200 officials with a place of service.
Pay rose from 120 kuruş a month in 1862/63 to a peak of 3,000 in 1895/96, as Müdür in Hicaz, when 98 per cent of paid officials earned less. The last annual entry is for 1900/01; the list of 1901/02 (AH 1319) 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.
1873 to 1877 (AH 1290 to 1293)
1. Müdür 1873/74 (AH 1290); Müfettiş Muavini 1874 to 1876 (AH 1291 to 1292); Seyyar Mufettis 1876/77 (AH 1293)
1,280 to 1,500 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years
1880 to 1883 (AH 1298 to 1300)
No annual entry for 1879/80 (AH 1297) before it.
2,000 kuruş a month; entries in 3 years
1888 to 1892 (AH 1306 to 1309)
No annual entry for 1887/88 (AH 1305) before it.
1,750 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1901/02 (AH 1319): 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1862/63 | 120 | 500 | 450 | 4% |
| 1863/64 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 32% |
| 1864/65 | 576 | 625 | 570 | 40% |
| 1865/66 | 576 | 650 | 576 | 38% |
| 1866/67 | 700 | 600 | 480 | 57% |
| 1867/68 | 1,000 | 600 | 1,000 | 68% |
| 1868/69 | 1,200 | 600 | 1,200 | 78% |
| 1869/70 | 1,200 | 600 | 1,200 | 80% |
| 1870/71 | 1,200 | 600 | 1,200 | 81% |
| 1871/72 | 1,280 | 550 | 1,200 | 88% |
| 1872/73 | 1,280 | 550 | 1,200 | 88% |
| 1873/74 | 1,280 | 500 | 1,290 | 88% |
| 1874/75 | 1,500 | 535 | 1,500 | 89% |
| 1875/76 | 1,500 | 530 | 1,500 | 88% |
| 1876/77 | 1,500 | 582.5 | 1,750 | 89% |
| 1877/78 | 1,750 | 560 | 1,750 | 91% |
| 1878 | 1,750 | 600 | 1,750 | 90% |
| 1878/79 | 1,750 | 600 | 1,750 | 90% |
| 1880/81 | 2,000 | 500 | 93% | |
| 1881/82 | 2,000 | 500 | 92% | |
| 1882/83 | 2,000 | 500 | 92% | |
| 1883/84 | 1,600 | 500 | 2,250 | 91% |
| 1884/85 | 1,600 | 500 | 2,400 | 91% |
| 1885/86 | 1,600 | 500 | 2,500 | 92% |
| 1886/87 | 1,600 | 500 | 2,500 | 92% |
| 1888/89 | 1,750 | 500 | 2,250 | 93% |
| 1889/90 | 1,750 | 500 | 2,000 | 94% |
| 1890/91 | 1,750 | 500 | 2,250 | 94% |
| 1891/92 | 1,750 | 500 | 2,400 | 95% |
| 1892/93 | 2,500 | 500 | 2,625 | 97% |
| 1895/96 | 3,000 | 500 | 2,250 | 98% |
| 1896/97 | 2,700 | 500 | 2,250 | 98% |
| 1897/98 | 2,700 | 500 | 1,800 | 98% |
| 1898/99 | 2,700 | 500 | 2,000 | 98% |
| 1899/1900 | 2,700 | 500 | 1,900 | 98% |
| 1900/01 | 2,700 | 500 | 2,000 | 98% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1856/57AH 1273 | Tahrirat Kalemifirst work | Sivas | 40first-salary field |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Arazi Kalemi | Gürün | 120 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Muhabere Memuru | Siverek | 500 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Muhabere Memuru | Sivas | 576 |
| 1865 to 1867AH 1282 to 1283 | Muhabere Memuru | Erzincan | 576 to 700 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | 2. Müdür | Bitlis | 1,000 |
| 1868 to 1870AH 1285 to 1286 | 1. Müdür | Erzurum | 1,200 |
| 1870 to 1873AH 1287 to 1289 | 1. Müdür | Trabzon | 1,200 to 1,280 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 1. Müdür | Kastamonu | 1,280 |
| 1874 to 1876AH 1291 to 1292 | Müfettiş Muavini | Kastamonu | 1,500 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Seyyar Mufettis | Kastamonu | 1,500 |
| 1877 to 1879AH 1294 to 1296 | Seyyar Mufettis | Erzurum | 1,750 |
| No annual entry: 1879/80 (AH 1297) | |||
| 1880 to 1883AH 1298 to 1300 | Seyyar Mufettis | Aydın | 2,000 |
| 1883 to 1887AH 1301 to 1304 | Müdür | Sana'a (Sana) | 1,600 |
| No annual entry: 1887/88 (AH 1305) | |||
| 1888 to 1892AH 1306 to 1309 | Müdür | Mecca (Mekke) | 1,750 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Başmüdür | Hicaz | 2,500 |
| No annual entry: 1893 to 1895 (AH 1311 to 1312) | |||
| 1895 to 1901AH 1313 to 1318 | Müdür | Hicaz | 3,000 to 2,700 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1840/41 (AH 1256)
- Birthplace
- Sivas
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Tomruk Muduru
- Death recorded
- 1901/02 (AH 1319)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Primary
- İbtidai Mektebi (4 years)primary school; place of the school as worded: sivas
- 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
- Arabic
- asinafamiliarity
- Persian
- asinafamiliarity
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1856/57 (AH 1273)
- Place
- Sivas
- First job as worded
- Tahrirat Kalemi
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 17
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 40
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 40
Named in scholarly works#
No link between a work and an official has been accepted. Each entry was found by fixed rules on the name and the recorded fields, and says what it rests on.
Sicill-i Ahval Defterlerine göre Sivaslı devlet adamları (NESLİHAN EROL, 2022). Name as printed: Mehmet Şefik Efendi. PDF pages 305, 306 and 307.
Probable link: same name and birthplace; served in the place the work covers
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 12 officials with entries in Hicaz in the same years, Mehmed Şefik Efendi had the highest salary.
- İbrahim Naci Bey6 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Hacı Abdurrahim Muhsin Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Hilmi Efendi3 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Mustafa Ferid Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 28 officials with the title Müdür in the same years, Mehmed Şefik Efendi had the 7th highest salary.
- Mehmet Hayri Bey10 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Ahmet Cavit Bey8 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Hüseyin Lebib Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Refet Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Andon Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
Same school
Of the 33 officials with İbtidai Mektebi among their schools, Mehmed Şefik Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Hasan Rifatborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Mustafa İsmet Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 650 kuruş
- Haci Ömer Efendiborn 1837/38 (AH 1253); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Galip Efendiborn 1845 (AH 1261); highest salary 600 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 95 officials born in Sivas, Mehmed Şefik Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Kadri Efendiborn 1840/41 (AH 1256); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Ahmet Rifat Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Hüseyin Necmi Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Muhyiddin Nuri Efendiborn 1841/42 (AH 1257); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Rıfat Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 800 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 36 officials whose first annual entry is for 1862/63 (AH 1279), Mehmed Şefik Efendi had the 5th highest salary.
- Hacı Mehmet Tevfik Efendifirst entry in Amasya; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Haridois Misaki Efendifirst entry in Edirne; highest salary 1,900 kuruş
- Mehmet Kamil Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Frederik Danderya Efendifirst entry in Gelibolu; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- İbrahim Agah Efendifirst entry in Latakia (Lazkiye); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (36)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Arazi Kalemi | Gürün | 120 | Land Registry (Defter-i Hakani) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 3_224;444 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Muhabere Memuru | Siverek | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Muhabere Memuru | Sivas | 576 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Muhabere Memuru | Erzincan | 576 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Muhabere Memuru | Erzincan | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | 2. Müdür | Bitlis | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | 1. Müdür | Erzurum | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | 1. Müdür | Erzurum | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | 1. Müdür | Trabzon | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | 1. Müdür | Trabzon | 1,280 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | 1. Müdür | Trabzon | 1,280 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 1. Müdür | Kastamonu | 1,280 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Müfettiş Muavini | Kastamonu | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Müfettiş Muavini | Kastamonu | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Seyyar Mufettis | Kastamonu | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Seyyar Mufettis | Erzurum | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Seyyar Mufettis | Erzurum | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Seyyar Mufettis | Erzurum | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Seyyar Mufettis | Aydın | 2,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Seyyar Mufettis | Aydın | 2,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Seyyar Mufettis | Aydın | 2,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Müdür | Sana'a (Sana) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Müdür | Sana'a (Sana) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Müdür | Sana'a (Sana) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Müdür | Sana'a (Sana) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Müdür | Mecca (Mekke) | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Müdür | Mecca (Mekke) | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Müdür | Mecca (Mekke) | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Müdür | Mecca (Mekke) | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Başmüdür | Hicaz | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Müdür | Hicaz | 3,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Müdür | Hicaz | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Müdür | Hicaz | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Müdür | Hicaz | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Müdür | Hicaz | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Müdür | Hicaz | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 3_224;444 |
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 | Mehmed Şefik Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1256 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace | sivas | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: district (kaza) | Sivas | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: sancak | Sivas | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: province (vilayet) | Sivas | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Province of birth | sivas | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | tomruk muduru | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Religion | Musluman | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Nationality or community | Turkish | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Schooling | ||
| School | ibtidai Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Place of the school | sivas | 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) | 1273 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1857 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | Sivas | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: district (kaza) | Sivas | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: sancak | Sivas | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: province (vilayet) | Sivas | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First job as worded | Tahrirat Kalemi | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 17 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 40 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 40 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1319 | 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.
- 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.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 28 annual entries of 36 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
- Mehmed Şefik Efendi
- Director (Müdür)
- Hicaz
- Sivas
- Primary school (İbtidai 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)