Ornamentation came in a variety of forms but for my personas of Chauncey Goodrich and Sarah (me), I have acquired a number of items that are very special too many, just as all reenactor's trickets are special to them.

Trade Silver

Trade silver is iffy for reenacting "white" people to wear, especially on the British side. I have heard many debates about whether white people would have had or worn trade silver. (Not familiar with Trade Silver? Click here for a brief history, and if you want some, this is one of the best people to buy from—mention where you found the link!!) Most people agree most whites 250 years ago didn't wear trade silver.

However, as a Ranger I am immediately not "most white people". Most Rangers came from the frontier and could easily have had dealings with Natives allied to the British (see Last of the Mohicans for an idea on that). I certainly could have helped myself to trade silver and other valuables when I came across the bodies of French milice and Natives during or after a battle or skirmish. I might have been in regular contact with Natives through the company of Stockbridge Mohicans who reported to Robert Rogers (the only Native company in British pay) during the latter years of the French and Indian War. But finally, many "famous" white men were closely associated with natives, so why not "common" men? We cannot assume that only the people whose stories were told were the ones with a story to tell!! Therefore, I have no problem with my persona having friendships (or at least acquaintences) with Natives and wearing trade silver, as a member of Rogers' Rangers.

Here are a few of my pieces.

The piece below is one I got as a commemoration of the Lake George Tactical in 2003, when I "killed" Longtoe, along with Wade Stoner. It is made by the late Chuck Leonard, and it is called "Two Owls". [NB: Chuck Leonard died December, 2005. I am so lucky to have got this piece, as there are no more from this craftsman.]

Less "finished" but no less special is this one from fellow ranger Craig Villeneuve. I believe it might have been the first piece he ever made, and I was really pleased that he would give it to me. I have it on the linen scarf I wore during the 100-mile Crown Point Road Trek in 2003, as Craig was on that and it seemed appropriate.  I wear that headscarf a lot, so the silver is getting tarnished.

This piece below is made by Billy Cleveland from a real buffalo silver dollar. It is very heavy, therefore, and you can actually see some of the lettering on the back side. Sorry this didn't come out well, I'll have to retake the picture outside on a sunny day without the flash.

This is a little piece (well, the size of a quarter) that I got at the Grand Encampment at Ticonderoga in 2002 from Wade Stoner, when he first joined our Ranger unit. I don't know who made it, but this silver piece commemorates what was a pretty special weekend in a lot of ways. (This too needs a better picture.)

Then I have several basic rings, such as these:

The following is something that I, as Sarah, almost always wear. It is a trade silver heart with flowers stamped into it, and a ring on the top to wear as a necklace/choker.  To the right is a picture of me wearing it on a black grosgrain ribbon (in the stupid cap I don't like).

Beads

I have a few bead necklaces and individual beads. Two of my favorites are these below.  On the left is a set of beads that Wade Stoner won at a Jacobsburg Rifle Frolic, and because he isn't a bead person, he gave them to me.  It is hard to tell in this picture (or any that I could get) but they are all different in shape, and a red-brown color.  To the right is a string of some lavender beads that a friend got for me from a sutler at the Fort at No. 4, because I love purples and lavenders so much, which was a very kind gesture.

The two beads below were part of Gerry Cook's collection. His wife was giving them to his friends at his Memorial Service. She gave Wade Stoner several and he let me pick some, and I chose these two. As with other stuff, I haven't yet decided what to do with them, as they need to decorate just the right thing.  These are fairly large beads, almost actual size in the photo below. 

if you read my page about the wampum bead choker from Gerry, you'll know about those purple beads that are part of my special stuff. I also have two sets of strings of white and blue wampum beads, which I got for attending the Lake George Tactical in 2004 and 2005.  Commander Quintan Kennedy, who presented them to me, got the idea from these when he saw a similar set of beads he saw at Johnson Hall at the Market Faire in 2004, part of Sir William Johnson's posessions (shown in the picture on the right).  I want to put them somewhere on display but haven't found the right place where they can be seen while I am reenacting but will not be ripped apart.

Another one of my very first pieces, which I bought from Clabert Menard the day I watched my first reenactment ever (and sunk in the reenacting quicksand), is a wampum armband which he made from white and blue wampum beads, braintanned leather, and artificial sinew. Two brass beads adjust the tightness of the fit so that it stays on your arm. 

Below is a bracelet made out of copper with copper and brass decorations on it.  I was given this at the Lake George Tactical in 2004 by Lake Commander Capt. Quintan Kennedy for my first time as Sargeant of the Rangers at the Lake. Capt. Kennedy gave one (similar but with different patterns) to Pvt. Bill Filkins for his single-handed raid on the French, and I gave one (again, similar but different) to Bob Stoner in recognition of a job well done as his first time out not only as a Ranger but at the Lake.