Ömer Ali Efendi

Paşabeyzâde Ömer Âli Efendi was born in Adana and belonged to the Ramazanoğulları family. His grandfather Arif Paşa had served as governor of Adana Sanjak, and his father Ahmed Paşa was district governor of Tarsus. He learned Arabic, Persian, Greek and Armenian from private tutors, and was also educated in fields such as geography, mapmaking, algebra, philosophy and history.

He entered state service in 1862 in the correspondence office in Adana. He later served as mektupçu in several provinces, including Dersim, Diyarbakır, Aydın, Aleppo, the Hijaz and Syria. After serving as acting governor in Jeddah, he was appointed governor of the sanjaks of Karesi, Tekirdağ and Benghazi. His final official post was the governorship of Kastamonu, which he held briefly in 1909.

Ömer Âli Efendi’s most lasting services were during his governorship of Karesi. Between 1896 and 1905 he served in Balıkesir and worked intensively for the rebuilding of the city after the earthquake of 29 January 1898. He rebuilt Hacı Ali Mosque with its minaret at his own expense, had a ten-room madrasa built in its courtyard, and established a library there by placing his personal books in it. This library later took the name Hamidiye Library and left a long-lasting mark on the cultural life of Balıkesir.

He also played a leading role in the reconstruction of Zağnos Mehmed Paşa Mosque, one of the landmark buildings of Balıkesir. After the earthquake, Ömer Âli Efendi spent not only his administrative authority but also his personal wealth on reconstruction and charity, and stands out as a provincial administrator who succeeded in involving the public in these efforts.

Ömer Âli Efendi also had a literary side and wrote the novels Cemal Bey and Türkmen Kızı. Türkmen Kızı, published in 1889, is especially notable as one of the early Turkish novels dealing with village and Turkmen life.

Ömer Âli Efendi spent his final years in Istanbul and donated all his wealth to the Hilâl-i Ahmer Society, today’s Turkish Red Crescent. Because of this will, his grave was built by the Hilâl-i Ahmer, and this benefaction is especially emphasized on his gravestone. He died on 8 Jumada al-akhir 1338, corresponding to 28 February 1920, and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.