Pueblo County Biographies

Pueblo County, Colorado
TOROS SARKISIAN, M. D.

Contributed by Karen Mitchell.

Among the well known physicians and surgeons of Denver is numbered Dr. Toros Sarkisian, who has been actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Denver for a number of years, and whose specialty is the diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Dr. Sarkisian has not only studied on this side of the Atlantic hut has attended great centers of clinics in Europe. He has, moreover, lectured on medical subjects himself, and his wide experience therefore entitles him to meritorious distinction. He was born in Sebastia, Armenia, in 1868, a son of Sarkis and Anna (Boyajian) Sarkisian, both of whom were horn in Armenia. The father was a secretary of a large importing and commission house, a man of high integrity, benevolence, kindness and generosity to those who came to him for help, and he passed away in Armenia, where the death of the mother also occurred. To them were born two children of whom Dr. Sarkisian was the elder. In his boyhood Toros Sarkisian attended the Armenian schools and later the American Foreign Missionary School, but in 1884, when sixteen years of age, came to America in order to benefit by the opportunities offered in this country, which were denied him in his native land. He located in Boston, Massachusetts, working at various trades and attending school at night. He thus continued until 1886, when at the age of eighteen, on account of his health, he came to Colorado. Having thoroughly recovered, he returned to the east and attended the medical department of the New York University and later Rush Medical College of Chicago, from which he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1897. He opened an office in the metropolis of the Great Lakes and made that city his residence until 1900. In the meantime, however, he had decided to further improve his knowledge by study in Europe and attended clinic and postgraduate courses at colleges in Berlin, Vienna and Paris, remaining abroad for over two years, greatly augmenting his university knowledge by study under the masters and authorities of the old world. Upon his return to the United States he again took up the active practice of medicine in Chicago, but his health compelled him in 1903 to again seek the climate of Colorado and he located in Pueblo, where he remained for two years or until 1905. since which year he has been engaged in the practice of his profession in Denver. During the years 1905 and 1906 Dr. Sarkisian taught physical diagnosis in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Denver but outside of this he has since given his entire attention to his practice. He is considered a good diagnostician and is careful and painstaking in reaching a decision. He has had a number of important and intricate cases both surgical and medical, with which he has been very successful. Perhaps the first case of a goiter operated on under local anaesthesia in the city of Denver was performed by Dr. Sarkisian, with great success. On April 22, 1903, Dr. Sarkisian married Miss Lillian Moose, of Chicago, Illinois, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Moose, of that city. To this union have been born two children: Justine, whose birth occurred in Denver in 1906; and Harold, also a native of Denver, born in 1909. Both are now attending school. There is much that is honorable and worthy of emulation in the career of Dr. Sarkisian, who made his way to professional eminence in his city entirely unaided. In order to earn an honest livelihood and to learn the language of his adopted country he first had to take comparatively lowly positions, but this did not deter him to continue upon the path which he had mapped out for himself and which led to a college career. For years he was caretaker for the Hon. Joseph Medill, editor and owner of the Chicago Tribune, with whom he remained a trusted employe for four years and a half, accompanying Mr. Medill on his extensive travels. Dr. Sarkisian organized the first Young Men's Christian Association in New York city among his own people and was the first president of this organization. Although his professional duties take up most of his time and his studies practically take up all of his leisure hours, for he is continually occupied with complementing his medical knowledge, he has found time to cooperate in movements undertaken for the public welfare of his city and in the best sense of the word is a thoroughly public-spirited citizen of his adopted country. In politics he is a republican but outside of supporting the measures and candidates of his party has no political ambitions. He is a prominent member of the Masonic order, in which he belongs to the blue lodge, the chapter and the council. Having as a boy shown the energy necessary to throw off the restrictions of his native country by emigration, he has utilized that same energy to make use of, the chances for advancement offered in this country and has become a man of high professional standards in the particular line of work to which he devotes his efforts. There is great honor due him for what he has accomplished and the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens is not withheld from him. History Of Colorado Illustrated Volume III Chicago The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1918

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