While we're on the subject of names...

> John’s third wife Maria Elizabeth (neé Last)

I suppose it avoids any confusion as to what her last name is.

Well, her first last name was Last, but her last last name was Belville.

And her last first name was Elizabeth, and her first first name was Maria.

Bravo!

This is how Vaudeville was born :)

A shame she wasn't doing time distribution, or you could get the Last time.

Was there a fourth wife, or was she the Last?

Actually I think this is a typo, or a lapsus, and they are referring to John Pond [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pond