Van Lier was born on 6 January 1836 in Paramaribo.[1] He joined the Royal Netherlands Army, and studied at the Rijks Kweekschool voor Militaire Geneeskundigen in Utrecht.[2] In 1856, he graduated Officer of Health 3rd Class.[3] In 1861, he graduated Doctor of Medicine at the University of Utrecht, and was promoted Officer of Health 2nd Class.[4] In 1865, he was granted dismissal from the army, and became a medical doctor in Paramaribo.[2]
In 1868, van Lier was appointed second city doctor.[5] In 1877, he was elected to the Colonial Estates.[6] Healthcare in Suriname was limited outside of the capital Paramaribo. In 1880, he forwarded a motion to establish a medical school which passed the Estates, however the States General of the Netherlands removed the plan from the budget. In 1881, a new motion was accepted.[7] On 1 April 1882, the Geneeskundige School was founded,[8] and van Lier served as one of the teachers of the school.[7]
On 6 August 1891, van Lier retired from the Colonial Estates.[9] He moved to Amsterdam where he worked as a physician.[2]
Van Lier died on 20 January 1903, at the age of 67.[2]