William A. Lierd

Location of Name

On the walls of Spaulding's Cavern inside North Gateway Rock.

Condition of Name

According to the reporter who entered the cavern when it was re-opened for a time in 1935, the name "W. Lierd '70" appeared plainly on the cavern walls.

Biography of William A. Lierd

William A Lierd was born October 30, 1846 in Burlington, Iowa. Both of his parents had come from Ireland, met and married and raised their family of three in Burlington.

Lierd first came to E1 Paso County in August of 1870. He came from Chicago. He lived for many years in Monument where he kept a grocery store.

On March 31, 1891, he traveled to Lee's Summit, Missouri, and married Emma B. Laythe. The couple raised three children: Lela, Clifton, and Hallie Winnifred.

In later years, William and Emma moved to Colorado Springs and settled in at 722 N. Weber Street. Both were members of the E1 Paso County Pioneer Society.

(Source: Kerr's Pioneer Questionnaires, C.S. Pioneers' Museum).