John Cherrington was born and raised in Vancouver. During his studies at the University of British Columbia in the early 1970s, he won the Women's Canadian Club scholarship as the top student in Canadian history. His first book, Mission on the Fraser, was published in 1974. He remains an avid chronicler of his beloved Fraser Valley, and an active member of the movement to preserve the Valley's abundant natural beauty and numerous historical landmarks. Cherrington and his wife and three children live in Fort Langley, where he practises law and sits on the board of the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation.