Property Deed #44

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MGK Collection

Name/Title

Property Deed #44

Scope and Content

This original Ottoman title deed is dated 30 Kanun-ı Sani 1308 (11 February 1893) and relates to an agricultural field located in Şeyh Murad Village (today Şeyhmurat), within the Yüreğir subdistrict of Adana. The land is recorded as belonging to the Balcı Dede Waqf, indicating its connection to a charitable foundation within the Ottoman land system. The deed documents a transaction carried out through vefaen ferağ, a form of conditional transfer used as collateral. Under this arrangement, the right of disposition over the property was temporarily transferred in return for a loan, with the original owner retaining the right to reclaim the property upon repayment of the debt. This practice reflects Ottoman-era credit mechanisms commonly used in agricultural and commercial life. The former owner is listed as Bezdikyan Hacı Agop Ağa, while the registered holder of a half share (nısf hisse) is Deliferyan Bogos Ağa. The Deliferyan family was among the prominent Armenian families engaged in large-scale cotton production in the Adana region. The recorded price of 2,000 kuruş represents a substantial amount for the period, confirming that Bogos Ağa extended a significant loan secured by the field. Key Features: • Type: Ottoman title deed (Tapu) • Location: Şeyh Murad Village, Yüreğir, Adana • Property Type: Agricultural field (Waqf land – Balcı Dede Waqf) • Size: 60 dönüm-ü atik cedid, 23 dönüm, 22 evlek, 54 arşun, 50 kirah • Boundaries: Road; property of Vesif and Mariam Hatun • Former Owner: Bezdikyan Hacı Agop Ağa (Ottoman citizen) • Registered Holder: Deliferyan Bogos (Boghos Deliferian) Ağa (Ottoman citizen), half share (nısf hisse) • Transaction Type: Vefaen ferağ (property pledged as collateral) • Recorded Price: 2,000 kuruş • Date: 30 Kanun-ı Sani 1308 (11 February 1893) • Features: Official Ottoman seals

Category

Property Deeds

General Notes

Note Type

Historical Note

Note

Hagop Aga Bzdigian was a wealthy landowner and farm owner in the village of Incirlik. He had 3 sons and 4 daughters. The Sons of Hagop Aga • Boghos Aga Bzdigian: The eldest son, he was an influential figure and a member of the "Mejlis-i Idare" (Administrative Council) of the Adana municipality. He was martyred on his farm during the Adana Massacre of 1909. • Dikran Bzdigian: The second son, a brave young man, was one of the leaders of the 1909 self-defense. Due to a wound received during that time, he was later moved to Beirut, where he died following a surgical operation. • Zakaria Bzdigian (1879–1950): The third and surviving son. He was a lawyer and graduate of the University of Geneva and a member of the Administrative Council in Adana. In 1920, during the French occupation, he was one of two individuals who accompanied Catholicos Sahag II of Cilicia on a mission to France. After the evacuation of Cilicia, he settled in Beirut and served the nation for many years as the legal advisor and chancellor of the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon. He was also a recognized archaeologist and numismatist. The daughters of Hagop Aga were Prapion, Yeghisapet, Araksi, and Vertayim. Deliferian Boghos Effendi — landowner [and] farmer, [from] Kizildik in Adana. Member of the "Mejlis-i Idare" (Administrative Council). His son is the Beirut-resident dentist, Dr. Antoine Deliferian.

Created By

garenkazanc@hotmail.com

Create Date

January 19, 2026

Updated By

garenkazanc@hotmail.com

Update Date

January 19, 2026