Mary L. Nock
Maryland politician and legislator
Mary Layfield Nock (September 3, 1903 – May 20, 1987) was an American Democratic politician. She was one of the first women to serve on the Maryland House of Delegates. During her political career, Nock advocated for women's issues, higher education, and the use of television as an educational tool.
Biography
Nock was born on September 3, 1903, in Green Hill, near Salisbury, Maryland, to parents William T. Layfield and Lulu T. Layfield. They later moved to Quantico, Maryland. She attended Beacom Business College in Salisbury and worked as a secretary after graduation. In 1920, she moved to Salisbury, shortly after attending her first political meeting, and voting for the first time. In 1925, she married Garland Nock, a construction official.
Career
Nock became secretary for David J. Ward, Vice President of the Salisbury Motor Company, succeeding her aunt. In 1932, Ward was elected to the Maryland Senate, and Nock traveled with him, working for him until Ward got elected to the United States House of Representatives.
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