Darius Wells (1800-1875) was born in Johnstown, New York and was apprenticed to a local printer. He moved to Amsterdam, NY and established a newspaper with a partner before moving to New York City to continue in his profession. Determined to find an alternative to expensive metal printer’s type for large font type. He invented a routing machine that could speedily remove excess material on this large type so it could be more cheaply produced. In 1840 he moved to Paterson, New Jersey and built a factory that created large wood type and other wooden material needed by printers and engravers. He retired from the business in 1856, and in 1861 became a postmaster in Paterson. He served in this position intermittently until 1872.
Wells and his wife, Almira and children lived at 95 Water Street in Paterson, and he is named on most lists of remembered Underground Railroad operatives in Paterson. He died in 1875 and his obituary goes into great detail about the burial service but has no reference to Underground Railroad work.