On Jan. 1, 1877, the Sunland Tribune published this article and a letter to its Editor from a visitor to Tampa on the past Christmas.  The visitor, who only identifies themselves as "VIATOR" relates various experiences of their visit during the holidays, "Like a busy bee I flew around and gathered the sweets from every flower."

A large portion of the letter is devoted to their visit at Miss Verdier's school, apparently a girls school, where the "young ladies displayed not only much talent, but other accomplishments in which school girls are generally deficient...ease, grace, appropriate gesticulation and proper modulation of voice."  The event was apparently a play or skit.  "A happy and original idea it was on the part of Miss Verdier to have the Southern States represented.  Each State was personified by a fair maiden exhibiting in her dress, or on her person, some of the products of the State represented..."

No other mentions of the school have been located, but there was a Dr. J. H. Verdier, a physician who advertised in the newspaper during this period. 

The only Verdier family found on the Tampa 1880 Census was that of Dr. J. H. Verdier,  widower with four daughters and a son all 18 and under.  None of the daughters would have been of age to run a school three years prior.  Dr. Verdier was in Fla. by 1850 when he wrote to the Georgia Citizen News about the fine climate here.

Marriage of Corinne Aurellia Crawford, dau. of Hon. Joel Crawford, to Dr. Jean Verdier of Quincy.  (This was John H. Verdier, "Jean" is French for "John" as the Verdiers were of French Huguenot origin.

Three days before Corinne's death, on July 7, 1877, Mayor Harlan Lovering declared a quarantine on all ships arriving from points south of Tampa, due to the "danger of infectious or contagious disease being brought into this place by either direct or indirect communications with the Port of Havana, Cuba.

OBIT OF DR. VERDIER'S WIFE, CORINNE C. VERDIER
Daughter of Hon. Joel Crawford of Ga.

Corinne's obituary makes no mention of her being involved with a school.  In fact, it gives no information as to her age or her situation in life, only stating who her father and husband were, then goes on with much poetry.  (The article has been shortened.) There is one clue: "Many months of patient suffering were crowned at last by a peaceful end."  Corinne may have been sick for many months, but that doesn't rule her out as the "Miss Verdier" of the school. The event was over 6 months prior to her death that the Christmas event took place at the school--"many months" could have been as many as five or even six months.

In July 1877, Dr. Verdier was appointed Port Physician and Health Officer for the port and town of Tampa, in order to control the threat of epidemic from incoming sea vessels.  It was his duty to board and inspect the incoming vessels which he believed to be coming from all ports below Gadsden's point as soon as they passed that point. 

1860 Census, Putnam Co, Fla. 20th Div.
J. H. Verdier

John H. Verdier was 35, a medical doctor and planter.  His land was valued at $10,000 and his property at $39,000.  This included his 23 slaves.
"C.C" Corinne C. Verdier, age 28.  This results in a calculated birth year of 1831-32 which puts her age at death at 38-39.
"W.T" was Willie T. Verdier, age 3, a daughter of Dr. and Corinne Verdier.   Willie's age figures to an 1856-57 birth year

The death certificate of Willie T. Verdier who died July 26, 1936 in St. Pete shows she was a daughter of John H. Verdier of Beufort, SC and Corinne Crawford of Sparta, Ga.  The record shows Willie was b. July 5, 1868 at "Verdiers Point," Fla, but her appearance on the 1860 census disproves that.   This is probably where the Verdiers would have been living in 1870,  US PO records show Verdier Point was in Putnam Co and was changed to Oak Villa in 1885. 

WHAT ABOUT ELIZABETH M. VERDIER?

Elizabeth's obituary reveals more about her than did Corrine's, but still no mention of a school or her age.  But from her two censuses we can calculate with very good confidence that she was born from 1823 to 1825 and died at age 54 to 56.

Her obit has a general tone of her being somewhat of a private person, keeping more to home matters.   "...a consistent member of the Prostetant Episcopal Church and living in retirement, her presence was not so much to shine in society, as to be useful in the home circle, where sweet memories will long be treasured of her, as the kind sympathizer, and the ready helper in every time of need..."  But she didn't just exhibit charity at home, "...to the domestic sphere alone, but loved to succor the poor and unfortunate around her."  It goes on to say that the last few years of her life were a "reverse, depriving her of much of the pleasure of giving..."

It says she died of "brain disease" and "although from the nature of her disease, her mind was considerably affected towards the later term of her existence, yet she was always lucid on the subject of her religion."

It seems like Elizabeth had been active in something, but the last few years were the "reverse" of it.  She may have been suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's, which began to affect her mental state around 1877.  There is no mention of family other than her father, probably because she was unmarried with no children.  Her "home" may have been with Dr. and Mrs. Corinne Verdier and their adult children.

John M. Verdier's obituary is all about him and doesn't mention family members.

Elizabeth's tombstone in Tampa's oldest cemetery, Oaklawn.
Photo from Find-a-Grave provided by Donna McPherson

1850 Census, Beaufort town, Beaufort Co, S. Carolina
John M. Verdier and family

John Mark Verdier (Jr), was b. Nov. 30, 1788, His father was on the original board of board of trustees for Beaufort College and early merchant of Beaufort.  Here he was 62, Lawyer and Planter.  His wife Caroline (McKee) was 52.
Elizabeth was 26, which results in a calculated birth year of 1823-24, which results in an age at death of 55-56.
Margaret McKee, 84, was Caroline's mother.

1860 Census, Beaufort town, Beaufort Co, S. Carolina

On their 1860 C, Caroline was a widow, 60, living now only with her children Henry, Elizabeth (35), Isabel and Mary.
Elizabeth's age results in a calculated birth year of 1824-25, which results in an age at death of 54-55.
 

Her 1870 Census also has not been located.  It may be that she was living with Dr. J. H. Verdier and Corrine, possibly in Putnam Co, and so neither Elizabeth or Corinne can be found in 1870.

With the above results being inconclusive, we have only the Tampa visitor's reference to the Verdier school instructor as "Miss" Verdier which if was used in the proper sense at the time, would have been Elizabeth Verdier.  But regardless of which of these women ran the school, it was left without her leadership after 1877 to 1879.  No mentions of the school prior to 1877 could be due to no newspaper scans online from 1872 to 1876 for Tampa newspapers, and this may have been the period that all these Verdiers came to Tampa.

ISABELLA VERDIER

Elizabeth's sister, Isabel, was also a school teacher in Tampa.  In Sep. 1880 it was announced that she was to be one of the two teachers starting at the Tampa School No. 1 for the fall term. 

Her 1904 obituary reveals she was the widow of Rev. William D. Scull and a daughter of John M. Verdier of Beaufort, SC.

Like her sister's obituary, Isbella's makes no mention of having been a school teacher.  Her qualification to teach was probably that as the wife of Rev. Scull, she taught in their local congregation.