Joseph Grant Cherry was born the son of William Cherry and Rebecca Jelous in Huntington, England. His grandfather's name was John Cherry. Joseph was married to Susan Miles on March 15, 1856 in Diddington Vicarage, Huntingsonshire, England. She is buried in this cemetery. They were parents of nine children; William Robert Cherry buried this cemetery; Sarah Louise (Cherry) Rolland buried this cemetery; Francelia Cherry may be buried Blodgett Cemetery near Central City, Iowa; Arthur Burgess Cherry buried this cemetery; Gertrude May (Cherry) Workman buried this cemetery; Charles Grant Cherry buried this cemetery; Lillie Belle (Cherry) Metcalf/Bardoner buried this cemetery; Laura Emma (Cherry) Elliott died in Santor, South Dakota and maybe buried in Lafayette, Iowa or Alice, Iowa Cemetery; Lucy Ann (Cherry) Nelson buried this cemetery. Joseph was a soldier in England and a farmer in Iowa. His brother's, David Cherry and John George Cherry also moved to Iowa and David is buried in this cemetery and John George Cherry is buried in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. John George Cherry lived at Walker, Iowa and invented the first cream can with a lid and later moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and started Cherry-Burell Manfacturing Company, which the Cherry Building is still a landmark in Cedar Rapids today. John George Cherry was married to Susanna's sister so they were double in-laws.

~Joseph Cherry spent his young manhood in England. When nineteen years old he took "the queen shilling" and enlisted in the military service of Queen Victoria. He saw action in the Crimean campaigns and remained in service for three years and received an honorable discharge. He was a member of 2nd Dragoon Guards-also one of the guards of Queen Victoria, of whom he was very fond. He would ride by her carriage on her daily rides through the park. They sailed for America in June 1856 and arrived at Castle Garden July 11, 1856 taking approximately four weeks. They lived seven years at Downer's Grove, Illinois where William and Sarah were born. In 1863, they moved near Central City, Iowa and lived there for two years where Francelia was born. They then homesteaded at Troy Mills, Iowa in 1866. Shortly after, several of Joseph's and Susan's brothers and sisters came at intervals. Susan had one brother and sister she never saw as they were born after she left England. Joseph Cherry and John George Cherry went back to England once, and two neices, Zilpha and Sophia Watts, and a nephew, Tom Watts, came home and lived with them until getting jobs and marrying. Tom Watts moved to St. Louis, Missouri.