Florida was once an ocean because pieces of coral reef were found there?

Yes

Explanation:

Until geologically recently much of Florida was below a warm shallow ocean, in conditions similar to the Bahamas today, and accumulated a lot of limestone. About 23 million years ago sea level dropped enough that portions of Florida became dry land and land animals occupied the area for the first time.

the answer is tom watson. tom watson created this epitaph because he wanted to increase the sympathy felt by people towards the murder of mary phagan.