Pierre-Dominique Debartzch
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Dominique Debartzch (September 22, 1782 – September 6, 1846) was a lawyer, seigneur
, newspaper owner and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu
in 1782, the son of a merchant of Polish
descent, and studied at Harvard College
. He articled in law with Denis-Benjamin Viger
and was called to the bar in 1806. Debartzch was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Kent in 1809 and again in 1810. He supported the parti canadien
. Debartzch was a captain in the militia and led a company at the Battle of Châteauguay
. In 1814, he was named to the Legislative Council
. In 1815, Debartzch married Josette, the daughter of legislative councillor Charles de Saint-Ours
and Josette Murray, whose great-uncle was former governor James Murray
. In 1822, he helped lead opposition to a plan to unite Upper
and Lower Canada. He purchased the seigneury of Saint-François (also known as Saint-Charles) in 1826. He founded the newspaper L'Écho du pays in 1833 and then Le Glaneur in 1836. He served on the Executive Council from 1837 to 1841. In 1841, Debartzch bought the seigneury of Cournoyer.
He died at Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu in 1846 and was buried at Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu.
His maternal uncle Hyacinthe-Marie Simon, dit Delorme
also served in the legislative assembly. His daughter Josette-Elmire married Lewis Thomas Drummond
and his daughter Louise-Aurélie married Alexandre-Édouard Kierzkowski
. His daughter Caroline married lawyer Samuel Cornwallis Monk; their son Frederick Debartzch Monk
later served in the Canadian House of Commons. His daughter Margueritte-Cordelia married Édouard-Sylvestre de Rottermund, a chemist and inventor.
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
, newspaper owner and political figure in Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
.
He was born in Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu
Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu is a municipality in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La Vallée-du-Richelieu. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 1,742.-Population:Population trend...
in 1782, the son of a merchant of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
descent, and studied at Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
. He articled in law with Denis-Benjamin Viger
Denis-Benjamin Viger
Denis-Benjamin Viger was a 19th century Lower Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, and Patriote movement member.Viger was part of the militia in the early 19th century and then a captain in the War of 1812...
and was called to the bar in 1806. Debartzch was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for Kent in 1809 and again in 1810. He supported the parti canadien
Parti canadien
The Parti canadien or Parti patriote was a political party in what is now Quebec founded by members of the liberal elite of Lower Canada at the beginning of the 19th century...
. Debartzch was a captain in the militia and led a company at the Battle of Châteauguay
Battle of Chateauguay
The Battle of the Chateauguay was a battle of the War of 1812. On 26 October 1813, a force consisting of about 1,630 French Canadian regulars and militia and Mohawk warriors under Charles de Salaberry repulsed an American force of about 4,000 attempting to invade Canada.The Chateauguay was one of...
. In 1814, he was named to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
. In 1815, Debartzch married Josette, the daughter of legislative councillor Charles de Saint-Ours
Charles de Saint-Ours
Charles de Saint-Ours was a seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born Roch-Louis de Saint-Ours in the town of Quebec in 1753. He became a major in the militia in 1774 and took part in the defence of Fort St John’s against the Americans...
and Josette Murray, whose great-uncle was former governor James Murray
James Murray (military officer)
James Murray FRS was a British soldier, whose lengthy career included service as colonial administrator and governor of the Province of Quebec and later as Governor of Minorca from 1778 to 1782.-Early life:He was a younger son of Alexander Murray, 4th Lord Elibank, and his wife Elizabeth...
. In 1822, he helped lead opposition to a plan to unite Upper
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Lower Canada. He purchased the seigneury of Saint-François (also known as Saint-Charles) in 1826. He founded the newspaper L'Écho du pays in 1833 and then Le Glaneur in 1836. He served on the Executive Council from 1837 to 1841. In 1841, Debartzch bought the seigneury of Cournoyer.
He died at Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu in 1846 and was buried at Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu.
His maternal uncle Hyacinthe-Marie Simon, dit Delorme
Hyacinthe-Marie Simon, dit Delorme
Hyacinthe-Marie Simon dit Delorme was a seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada. He represented Richelieu in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1808 to 1814. His name also appears as Hyacinthe-Marie Delorme.He was born in Saint-Denis, the son of seigneur Jacques-Hyacinthe Simon...
also served in the legislative assembly. His daughter Josette-Elmire married Lewis Thomas Drummond
Lewis Thomas Drummond
Lewis Thomas Drummond was a Quebec lawyer, judge and political figure.He was born in Coleraine, County Londonderry in Ireland in 1813. His father, an attorney, died while he was young and he came to Lower Canada with his mother in 1825...
and his daughter Louise-Aurélie married Alexandre-Édouard Kierzkowski
Alexandre-Édouard Kierzkowski
Alexandre-Édouard Kierzkowski was a civil engineer and political figure in Canada East.He was born Aleksander Edward Kierzkowski in the Grand Duchy of Poznań and joined the Polish Army as an officer in an unsuccessful campaign against the Russians in 1830 to 1831...
. His daughter Caroline married lawyer Samuel Cornwallis Monk; their son Frederick Debartzch Monk
Frederick Debartzch Monk
Frederick Debartzch Monk, PC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and politician.Born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Samuel Cornwallis Monk and Caroline Debartzch , he received a Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 1877 from McGill University and was called to the Quebec Bar in 1878...
later served in the Canadian House of Commons. His daughter Margueritte-Cordelia married Édouard-Sylvestre de Rottermund, a chemist and inventor.