Julia Lee Niebergall

Julia Lee Niebergall (b. Indianapolis, February 15, 1886 – d. October 19, 1968) – Pianist, composer, and arranger. Born into a musical family, she composed several short piano works including three published piano rags. The first one entitled “Hoosier Rag” (1907) was published by Jerome Remick in Detroit, and her next two were published by the Auferheide family firm. All three of her rags have been recorded on CD. Unlike her friend May Auferheide, Niebergall married only briefly and continued to work using her maiden name. Although she seemed to have stopped composing early on, she had a variety of jobs in the field of music. In the 1910s and 1920s, she played at the Colonial Theater for silent movies and occasionally accompanied gymnastic classes. Later in life, she taught piano and theory at Manuel High School. In addition, she is thought to have been one of the first women in the city to own and drive a car.