They were actually pretty close to the houses....Go 100 feet and you’ve probably gone to far. If you know someone who is into “witching”...make a fun day of it.
Far enough away so you can’t smell them in the summer, and close enough so you don’t freeze your butt off getting there in the winter!
I’ve been on all the privy digging websites. Even bought one of those six foot spring rods with the probe on the end. I know where the most recent one is (last used in the 60’s, I believe), but still have to find the first one. A two hundred year old house would have several privy pits. I still think it’s under the apple tree! It’s in about the right spot - almost straight down from where the back door used to be. LOL! Who knows what treasures lie in wait there! ;-)