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John and Emily Mayes may well have been attracted to Australia by the stories they had heard from their relations, the Kingstons. Although the living conditions here then were rough, they represented an improvement to the prospects many working men faced back in England. It is thought that stories of these opportunities were major factors in attracting new settlers to the colony. John and Emily Mayes and their two children, Joshua (3) and Ruth (1), sailed from England in the sailing ship "Indus" in 1871. The family grew to 7 children. The district was beginning to expand as well, with more and more settlers coming in to take up the available land.
The railway made a huge difference to the development prospects in the area. The late 1880's were a time of great prosperity. Not only did the coming of the railway mean that people could more easily transport their foods to markets in Brisbane, but building materials could also be accessed. The arrival of the railway was probably a factor in John Mayes' decision to build the house we now know as Mayes Cottage, which was completed in January 1887. Despite the hardships endured in those early years, we can assume that this was a happy home by the name given to the home by John and Emily - "Pleasant Place", an ideal name for a cottage that commands such beautiful views. It symbolises the pride and the ideals of Logan residents.
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