He had the ring analyzed by Michigan State University's Archeology department and they determined that it was a Jesuit ring, last manufactured in 1760. That means that it was at least 240 years old, possibly older!

How did such a ring come to rest on the shores of Wabatongushi Lake? Well, the lake was, long ago, part of the historic Voyageur canoe route from James Bay to Lake Superior. No one knows for sure whether the ring was actually left by a Jesuit priest, a trapper, or an indian who might have acquired it in a trade. What we do know is that 240 years ago, our lake was about 10 feet lower than it is now, making many of today's bays high and dry.

The Canadian Government demanded the ring back from Ron and it is now in a government archive somewhere in Ontario. Ron has yet to reveal to them exactly where the site was, but we do know that it was on the south end of Wabatongushi. In the 1960's, there was such an excavation done on the lake, again on the south end, by a major university in Southern Ontario. They found ancient nomadic man artifacts dating back far before any white men settled the area. The lake certainly is full of history!

As more information becomes available, we will share it with you on our web site. Stay tuned! Thanks to Ron Easton of Baroda, MI for the picture and great find! See you next year, Ron!