Important Ragtime composer. Known professionally as May Aufderheide, she is generally regarded as the most important female composer of Ragtime music. She was classically trained and became a part of a notable group of Indianapolis Ragtime composers. Her father, a successful Indianapolis businessman, started a music publishing company to disseminate her work and that of her friends after May's first published work, "Dusty Rag" sold extremely well. On March 25, 1908, she married Thomas M. Kaufman at her parents' home on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis. Kaufman was an architect in practice with his father in Richmond, Indiana. In Richmond, May continued her music career, publishing a number of titles through her father's firm, including the "Richmond Rag". Thomas Kaufman was not successful as an architect after the death of his father in 1916 so he and May moved to Indianapolis where went into business with May's father, J.H. Aufderheide and found success in the business world. They built a handsome home on West 56th Street in about 1927. May discontinued her music career after the couple adopted a child named Lucy after losing an infant son. The family moved to Pasadena, California in 1947 where Thomas and May remained for the balance of their lives. They lived in "Rose Villa," a home designed by Thomas on the grounds of the Huntington Sheraton Hotel. May outlived her husband and daughter and struggled with debilitating arthritis in her later years.
Important Ragtime composer. Known professionally as May Aufderheide, she is generally regarded as the most important female composer of Ragtime music. She was classically trained and became a part of a notable group of Indianapolis Ragtime composers. Her father, a successful Indianapolis businessman, started a music publishing company to disseminate her work and that of her friends after May's first published work, "Dusty Rag" sold extremely well. On March 25, 1908, she married Thomas M. Kaufman at her parents' home on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis. Kaufman was an architect in practice with his father in Richmond, Indiana. In Richmond, May continued her music career, publishing a number of titles through her father's firm, including the "Richmond Rag". Thomas Kaufman was not successful as an architect after the death of his father in 1916 so he and May moved to Indianapolis where went into business with May's father, J.H. Aufderheide and found success in the business world. They built a handsome home on West 56th Street in about 1927. May discontinued her music career after the couple adopted a child named Lucy after losing an infant son. The family moved to Pasadena, California in 1947 where Thomas and May remained for the balance of their lives. They lived in "Rose Villa," a home designed by Thomas on the grounds of the Huntington Sheraton Hotel. May outlived her husband and daughter and struggled with debilitating arthritis in her later years.
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