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Lieutenant Colonel '''Jean Marcos Coulon de Villiers''' was an officer of [[Spanish Pensacola]] at the time of its transfer to the United States in [[1821]]. He was the father{{see also|Panton-in-law of [[John Innerarity]] (by his daughter Marie Victoria<ref>http://fulltext.fcla.edu/DLData/SN/SN00154113/0067_003/67no3.pdf</ref>) and [[Arnaldo Guillemard]] (by his daughter Marie Josepha). He was commandant of [[San Marcos de Apalache]], among other posts.family}}

De {{Infobox Biography| subject_name ='''Marcos de Villiers came from a famous French '''| image_name =| image_size =288px| image_caption =| date_of_birth =| place_of_birth =| date_of_death =| place_of_death =| occupation =Spanish military family. His grandfather was [[Wikipedia:François Coulon de Villiersofficer| religion =| spouse =Victoria Marie Josephine Grifon d'Anneville|François Coulon de Villiers]], brother to [[Wikipedia:Louis Coulon de Villiersparents =|Louis children =Marie Victoria<br/>Marie Josepha}}Lieutenant Colonel '''Jean Marcos Coulon Jumonville de Villiers]] and [[Wikipedia:Joseph Coulon de Jumonville|Joseph Coulon de Jumonville]]. François became a commandant ''' was an officer of [[Wikipedia:New SpainThird Spanish period|New SpainSpanish Pensacola]] after at the [[Wikipedia:Treaty time of Paris (1763)|Treaty of Paris]], and his son its transfer to the United States in [[Marc de Villiers|Marc1821]], a Spanish loyalist, settled . He was the father-in Pensacola after the -law of [[Wikipedia:Third Treaty of San Ildefonso|Treaty of San IldefonsoJohn Innerarity]] returned Louisiana to French rule.(by his daughter Marie Victoria<ref>[http://wwwfulltext.geocitiesfcla.comedu/DLData/BourbonStreetSN/SquareSN00154113/23200067_003/devillier-page67no3.html les Familles Coulon de Villiers Jumonville]pdf</ref>) and [[Arnaldo Guillemard]] (by his daughter Marie Josepha). He was commandant of [[San Marcos de Apalache]], among other posts.

[[De Villiers Street]] (and, by extension, the [[Belmont-DeVilliers]] neighborhood) is named for Marcos de Villiers. ==Background & career==De Villiers came from a famous French military family, being the son of [[Wikipedia:François Coulon de Villiers|François Coulon de Villiers]] and nephew of [[Wikipedia:Louis Coulon de Villiers|Louis Coulon de Villiers]] and [[Wikipedia:Joseph Coulon de Jumonville|Joseph Coulon de Jumonville]]. His latter uncle and namesake had been killed after surrendering to [[Wikipedia:George Washington|George Washington]] at the [[Wikipedia:Battle of Jumonville Glen|Battle of Jumonville Glen]], which sparked the [[Wikipedia:French and Indian War|French and Indian War]]. Marcos, along with his own brothers Carlos and Louis, served under [[Bernardo de Gálvez]] in the [[1781]] [[Battle of Mobile (1781)|Mobile]] and [[Siege of Pensacola|Pensacola campaigns]].<ref>Virginia Parks. ''Siege! Spain and Britain: Battle of Pensacola March 9 - May 8, 1781''. Pensacola Historical Society, 1981.</ref> He settled in Spanish-controlled Pensacola thereafter. ==Banishment & arrest==After the arrest [[transfer of Florida ]] to the United States in [[1821]], former Spanish Governor [[Jose Callava]] was arrested by Governor [[Andrew Jackson]]for a failure to remit certain official papers to the American government. A group of thirteen Spanish officers, which included de Villiers and his son-in-law [[Arnaldo Guillemard|Guillemard]], wrote a "Declaration of many respectable witnesses of what passed," which enumerated a number of what they perceived to be injustices perpetrated by Jackson on the Spanish population. No action was taken at the time, but when a newspaper published an anonymous advertisement critical of Jackson and his deputy [[Henry Brackenridge]], Jackson ordered the banishment of de Villiers, Guillemard and six other signatories of the previous declaration.<ref name="goza">http://smathersdlcl3.uflib.ufl.edu/docsb/news/Goza/336.sgm</ref>on [[September 29]], 1821.<ref name="sundrypapers">[http:/blockquote/www.archive.org/details/messagefrompresi00un "Message from the president of the United States, transmitting sundry papers relating to transactions in East and West Florida, received at the Department of State since his message of 28th January, last : with copies of two letters from the secretary of state upon the same subject"]</ref>

The group accepted the banishmentand relocated to Cuba, but de Villiers returned with his son-in-law four months later, on [[January 2]], [[1822]], while Jackson was in Nashville. They appealed to acting Governor [[George Walton]] for enough time in the city to retrieve their families and set their private affairs in order, with the following memorial:<blockquote>That your memorialists, with other Spanish officers, were, by the proclamation of his Excellency Andrew Jackson, Governor of the Floridas, issued on the 29th of September last, ordered to quit the Floridas within three days thereeafter, for reasons therein assigned. Walton initially confined them That your memorialists, in obedience to their homes the said proclamation, withdrew from the said provinces, and later imprisoned them in repaired to the ''[[calabozo]]'' ("dungeon"). When word island of Cuba; and that, after being there some time, they found themselves compelled, from the men's return reached Jacksonsituation of their private affairs, he repliedand the illness of a part of their families, "Colto return to this country. Coulon (Villiers) is father-That, in-law so doing, nothing was further from their intention than any disrepect to the constituted authorities of [[John Innerarity]]this province, whose determinations they declare themselves ready to observe and obey so long as they remain in the same. Guillemard is a very base But they beg leave respectfully to represent, that, at the same time, they are Spanish officers, they and treacherous mantheir families have also been inhabitants of this country for many years; being and that they are owners of real and personal property here to a considerable amount. That, by the fifth article of the treaty, the inhabitants of the same ceded provinces who piloted may desire to remove to the Spanish dominions, shall be permitted to sell or export their effects at any time whatever, without being subject, in either case, to duties. That your memorialists are desirous to remove with their families to the British up Bayou Bienvenue Spanish dominions, and that, unless permitted to remain here, and superintend in person these necessary arrangements, they will be exposed to serious loss and injury. Your memorialists therefore pray, that, taking the circumstances into consideration, and especially their solemn declaration that they return, not as Spanish officers, but as private individuals, on private business, and with every disposition to obey and respect the year 1815existing authorities, then an officer they may be permitted to remain for the purpose of Spainsettling their affairs, when and making the necessary arrangements for the attempt was made upon New-Orleans by General Packenhamremoval of their families."<ref name="gozasundrypapers"/></blockquote>

The two prisoners petitioned Walton considered imprisoning them in the United States Congress. On [[February 20calaboose]], [[1822]] but instead confined them to their complaint homes, writing the following letter to Jackson for further instruction:<ref name="goza"/><blockquote><p>A few days ago, two of the Spanish officers. Colonel Marcos de Villiers, generally called Colonel Coulon, and Arnaldo Guillemard, arrived here in a vessel from Havana. It was read first intimated to me that they had resigned their commissions in the Spanish service; but were arrested by my order, and brought before me, they declared they had come with the Senateintention of asking permission to attend in person to the settlement of their private affairs, and the removal of their families. They solemnly declared, that they had not returned in defiance of the proclamation, which they had promptly obeyed, and that they are ready to submit themselves to any order which should be taken in their case. For the present, I ordered them into confinement; but tabled on the calaboze being in no condition to receive them, for, excepting the officer's room, it has no fire-place; and as Coulon is a motion by Senator [[Wikipedia:James Barbour|James Barbour]]very old man, and his wife, at this time extremely ill, I thought it best to confine them in their own houses.<ref>[http://memoryThe situation of old Coulon was such, that it would have been cruel to confine him in the dungeon with the common malefactors; and I could not, with propriety, make a distinction with respect to Guillemard.locThey then presented the enclosed memorial, in which they throw themselves on the mercy of the government.gov</cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(sj01157)): Senate Journal]p></refp> Two days laterAfter these concessions, and the humble manner in which they sue to be permitted to remain, I was well convinced that you would have granted them the indulgence they prayed for. But, under my instructions, although a state of things was presented by the returning sense of propriety on [[February 22]]the part of these people, different from what is contemplated in these instructions, yet, I did not consider myself authorized to go any farther than to continue them in the same confinement until further orders. I was well convinced that, an order while on the one hand you were determined to cause the government provisionally established over these provinces to be respected by Secretary every one living under it; and, as far as you were concerned, to cause the stipulations of the treaty to be enforced; yet, I also knew, from the magnanimity of your disposition, that you would instantly relent on the first manifestation of State John Quincy Adams released Guillemard respect to the government, and submission to its determinations. This course, however, was not adopted by me until after consultation with Colonels Fenwick and Clinch, Major Denkins, and de VilliersJudge Brackenridge, who all concurred in the opinion, that this was, under all circimistances, the most proper.<ref name="gozasundrypapers"/></p></blockquote>

When word of the men's return reached Jackson, who had already resigned his official authority as governor, he wrote to Secretary of State [[Wikipedia:John Quincy Adams|John Quincy Adams]] on [[January 21]], 1822:<blockquote>Enclosed, I send you an extract of a letter from Col. George Walton, Secretary of West Florida, and charged with exercising the powers of governor of the same, in my absence, with its enclosure. Having received from the President of the United States his letter bearing date the 31st December last, post-marked at the city of Washington, the 9th instant, notifying me that my resignation was accepted, forecloses me from giving to Col. Walton any instructions officially, and have thought proper to refer him to the President for directions, as to the proper course to be pursued with regard to those Spanish officers. Col. Coulon [De Villiers Street]] (is father-in-law to John Innerarity. Guillemard is a very base andtreacherous man, being the same who piloted the British up Bayou Bienvenue, in the year 1815, then an officer of Spain, when the attempt was made upon New Orleans by extensionGeneral Packenham.<ref name="sundrypapers"/></blockquote> The two prisoners petitioned the United States Congress. On [[February 20]], 1822 their complaint was read before the Senate, but tabled on a motion by Senator [[BelmontWikipedia:James Barbour|James Barbour]].<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-DeVilliersbin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(sj01157)): Senate Journal]</ref> Two days later, on [[February 22] neighborhood) is named for Marcos ], an order by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams released Guillemard and de Villiers.<ref name="goza"/>

[[Category:Citizens of Spanish Pensacola|de De Villiers, Marcos]] [[Category:Street namesakes|de De Villiers]]