PERPETUAL EASEMENT

WHEREAS, pioneer Norwegian immigrants brought their faith and beliefs in God with them when they came to America, but in the early years there were no churches in which to celebrate and worship; and
WHEREAS, pioneer Norwegian immigrants met in homes where laymen would read sermons from a "huspostil," a book of sermons for family use; and because there were no pastors, laymen baptized the young and conducted funeral services; and
WHEREAS, there was a church where the Word of God was taught and the sacraments were rightly administered; and
WHEREAS, on January 10, 1867, the first Norwegian Lutheran service in Central Texas was held in the Jens Ringness home some nine miles west of Clifton, in Bosque County, Texas, near what is now Farm Road 219 (FR219); and
WHEREAS, the Jen Ringness house has fallen into disrepair and ruin and is gradually deteriorating; and
WHEREAS, Donald Clay Brandenberger and Mary Alice Brandenberger, the owners of the Jens Ringness house have agreed to donate the house to The Norwegian Society of Texas and grant a PERPETUAL EASEMENT on their property for a site on which to remove the house from its present location some 300 yards north to a site on FR 219; and
WHEREAS, the Norwegian Society of Texas (NST) is willing to accept the donation of such house and be the owner of such house in order to facilitate the removal of such house from its present location to a site on FR 219;
Now Therefore, premises considered,
I.
Donald Clay Brandenberger and wife, Mary Alice Brandenberger, do hereby give and donate to The Norwegian Society of Texas, a non-profit corporation of the State of Texas, Charter No. **********, State Comptroller No. -***-*-, exempt under 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Code, the Jens Ringness House which sits on their property some nine miles west of Clifton, said house being built of native stone and plaster, native wood, native rock and concrete and being approximately 27' X 51' in dimensions and some 20' tall.
II.
Donald Clay Brandenberger and wife, Mary Alice Brandenberger, do hereby give and grant a PERPETUAL EASEMENT on their property on which to move and restore said Jens Ringness House, said easement tract being described as follows:
BEGINNING at a point in a fence line in the south right of way line of Farm Road 219, some nine (9) miles west of Clifton, in Bosque County, Texas, said point being directly south of the mid point of a stone monument bearing the words and numbers and commemorating the "First Norw. Luth. Service In Central Texas Held Here January 10, 1867";
Thence in an easterly direction along the fence line in the south right of way line of Farm Road 219, 46 feet to a point;
Thence in a southerly direction along a line parallel to a North-South fence line 300 feet to the west, 200 feet to a point;
Thence in a westerly direction along a line parallel to the fence line in the south right of way line of Farm Road 219, 300 feet to a point in the aforesaid North-South fence line;
Thence in a northerly direction along the aforesaid North-South fence line 200 feet to a point at a fence corner in the fence line of the south right of way line of Farm Road 219;
Thence in an easterly direction along a fence line in the south right of way line of Farm Road 219, 254 feet to the point of BEGINNING; being a rectangularly shaped tract of land 200 feet x 300 feet, containing 60,000 square feet of land more or less.
III.
The Norwegian Society of Texas shall be responsible for tearing down and removing the house from its present location to the easement site and shall leave the present location clean and free of debris and waste.
IV.
The Norwegian Society of Texas shall be responsible for reconstructing the house on the easement site and thereafter shall be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the house and site.
V.
Donald Clay Brandenberger and wife, Mary Alice Brandenberger, do hereby give and grant to The Norwegian Society of Texas a TEMPORARY EASEMENT across their property to remove the house from its present location to the easement tract on FR 219.
VI.
It is contemplated that the Brandenbergers shall have the right of their farm animals to graze around the house and within the easement tract so long as such use will not interfere with the house and its display and use by visitors. It is anticipated that the easement tract shall continue to be assessed with the Brandenbergers property for ad valorem taxes and that the Brandenbergers will pay any tax thereon. In the event of an increase in the taxes due to such relocation and renovation of the house, The Norwegian Society of Texas shall seek exemption from ad valorem taxation under the Texas Property Tax Code.
VII.
It is contemplated that funds will be raised by the Bosque County Chapter of The Norwegian Society of Texas and that such fundraising will proceed forthwith. If for some or any reason this agreement is not approved by The Norwegian Society of Texas or the funds are not raised within five years from date hereof, this PERPETUAL EASEMENT shall be null and void.
Witness our hands this 31 day of December, 2000.
(Signature on original.)	Donald Clay Brandenberger
(Signature on original.)	Mary Alice Brandenberger