He was born in Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu in 1782, the son of a merchant of Polish descent (Dominica’s Bartzsch arrived in New France around 1752), and studied at Harvard College.
Debartzch was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Kent in 1809 and again in 1810.
In 1822, he helped lead opposition to a plan to unite Upper and Lower Canada.
His maternal uncle Hyacinthe-Marie Simon, dit Delorme also served in the legislative assembly.
His daughter Margueritte-Cordelia married Édouard-Sylvestre de Rottermund, a chemist and inventor.