Call the night man!

Outdoor toilets had many names. The term "privy," which is derived from the word "private," was commonly used in North America during the 1860s. Privies were small structures built over a hole or vault dug in the yard. The privy at the William Root House Museum (pictured) is a reproduction. Outside the privy, lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina) has been planted near the door for easy picking. Why? Lamb's ear was a popular choice for wiping because the soft leaves contained aloe. Scraps of cloth or paper were also commonly used. Modern toilet paper rolls used today were not patented until 1883. Inside the privy, ashes collected from the fireplaces of the main house were stored in a box. Ashes would have been sprinkled into the hole after each use of the privy in order to contain the unpleasant odors. In addition to ashes, lime and soil could have been sprinkled into the vault between uses to help contain odors. 

Depending on the number of family members using the privy, the waste or "night soil" would have to be removed from the vault two or three times per year. This would have never been done during the day. "Night men" would have been called to come after dark. The night men used long-handled dippers to collect the waste under the cover of darkness. The night soil was then taken away to be discarded or sold as fertilizer to nearby farmers. In the city of Marietta, privies were required to be "cleaned at least once every ten days, and be sprinkled with lime." During inspection, if the privy was not "free from filth and stench," the owner could be fined or even jailed.