Jane Toppan, also known as "Jolly Jane," was an American serial killer who was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in the mid 1850s in Massachusetts, Toppan was adopted at a young age after being taken from her abusive father. She later became a nurse and used her medical knowledge to kill at least 31 people, including patients under her care. Toppan's victims included her foster sister, many of her so-called friends, and several patients at hospitals where she worked.