Jane Toppan (1857-1938) was responsible for at least 31 deaths throughout her career as a nurse. Despite the string of fatalities that followed in her wake, she was regarded as a bright and promising caretaker. That is, until her crimes caught up to her.
Jane Toppan (1857-1938) was responsible for at least 31 deaths throughout her career as a nurse. Despite the string of fatalities that followed in her wake, she was regarded as a bright and promising caretaker. That is, until her crimes caught up to her.
In honor of the spookiest month, we’re revisiting our favorite Womanica episodes featuring villains, troublemakers, magic, and mystery all October. Join host Jenny Kaplan — with a few special introductions — as she takes you back in time, highlighting women like Sadie the Goat, Marie Laveau, Patricia Krenwinkel and more who were ruthless, vengeful, and mystical. The riveting stories of these women are sure to keep you up at night.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Ale Tejeda, Sara Schleede, and Alex Jhamb Burns. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.
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Before we get started, just a warning that this episode contains some mentions of violence.
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. All month, we’ve been highlighting our favorite episodes featuring villains, troublemakers, magic, and mystery.
This episode originally came from our “Troublemakers” month in October 2021.
Today, we’re talking about a woman who was thought to be a bright and promising nurse – that is, until her crimes caught up to her.
Let’s talk about “Jolly” Jane Toppan.
Jane was born Honora “Nora” Kelley in Boston around 1857. She was the youngest of 3 daughters born to two Irish immigrants. Nora’s mother died of tuberculosis when Nora was just a few years old. Her father was abusive and was prone to periods of heavy drinking.
By 1860, Nora and one of her sisters were sent to Boston Female Asylum. There was little to no state support for children at that point, so it was the closest thing available akin to an orphanage. Nora left at the age of 8 to work as an indentured servant to a widow named Ann Toppan.
It was at the Toppan house that “Nora” became Jane. Ann disliked the Irish, so she changed the Irish “Honora” to “Jane” and told all guests that Jane was Italian. She raised Jane alongside her daughter, Elizabeth, but never officially adopted Jane.
As a member of the Toppan family, Jane attended school. She didn’t make many friends: she often lied and told on her classmates, despite the fact that she herself was suspected of petty theft and spreading gossip about kids she didn’t like.
On her 18th birthday, Jane was freed from her indentured servitude and was given 50 dollars. Still, she remained as a worker in the Toppan house for another decade. Ann passed away in the 1870s, and Elizabeth was married a few years later. According to some sources, Jane may have been engaged at one point, but her fiance left her for someone else.
In 1887, in her early 30s, Jane decided to embark on a career. She enrolled at the nursing school at Cambridge Hospital in Boston. She worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. She presented herself to other nurses and patients with a kind and vibrant disposition. It was here she earned the nickname “Jolly” Jane.
But Jane was heading down a dark path. Years later, investigators would uncover that Jane’s fascination with murder began during her years in nursing school. She may have deliberately falsified records, and, in some cases, even distributed incorrect medication to her favorite patients in order to make them stay longer at the hospital. She dosed patients with just enough poison to harm them, and then nursed them back to health.
An alarming number of elderly patients died in her care. By her own count, she may have killed up to a dozen people by poison.
By the time she finished her training, Jane was on her way to securing a job at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Her time here was cut short after she was suspected of petty robbery and negligence. When she left, she did so without a nursing license.
Still, over the next 8 years, Jane became one of the most successful private nurses in Boston. All while continuing to commit murder.
Jane killed patients and she also killed others. Sometimes, it was for personal reasons: In 1899, she went on holiday and invited her foster sister, Elizabeth, to join her in a small cottage. Elizabeth died of a mysterious apoplectic stroke, caused by Jane’s poison, a few days later. Jane also killed for her own gain. In 1900, a friend of hers named Myra suddenly died of peritonitis. At the funeral, Jane proudly told others she “owed it to Myra” to take over her job, which included an apartment and a regular paycheck.
She quickly lost the job and returned to the small cottage she had vacationed in after killing Elizabeth. When Jane didn’t have the money to pay for rent, she poisoned the landlord’s wife. Then Jane moved in with the now-widowed and elderly landlord, Alden Davis, to care for him. Within weeks, he was dead, along with his sister and two of his daughters.
The death of an entire family in the span of a month was notable enough to alert authorities. The remaining members of the Davis family ordered a toxicology report, and by October 29, 1901, Jane was arrested for murder.
Jane’s arrest caused a media frenzy. She was a rare case: a female serial killer. Soon, papers started analyzing her, from her breakfast habits to her time at Boston Female Asylum. After her trial, the New York Journal published what they called Jane’s confession, though it’s unconfirmed whether or not she wrote it. In and out of court, Jane’s sanity became the subject of conversation. She insisted on her sanity, saying she could not be insane because she knew while committing the murders that they were wrong.
On June 23, 1902, Jane was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed for life in the Taunton Insane Hospital. Though she was a favorite patient at the beginning of her stay, Jane soon grew paranoid: ironically, it’s said she refused to eat food because she thought it was poisoned. Jane passed away in 1938, at the age of 81.
That’s it for our favorite episodes featuring villainy, magic, and mystery! Tomorrow, tune in for the first episode of our new theme, Peacebuilders – women whose creativity and insight helped make peace around the world.