Later Life
In 1832, DeCew unsuccessfully opposed William Hamilton Merritt's bid for election to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada in what has been described as an extremely vindictive campaign. DeCew was associated with the reform politics of William Lyon Mackenzie, but there is no evidence that he took any active role in the Rebellions of 1837.
With his milling business in ruins, DeCew relocated in 1834 to Haldimand County on the Grand River. Here, he once again operated a sawmill. He failed to secure rights to operate a bridge or ferry on the Grand River, but in 1835 did obtain an incorporation for a glass works. However, he never produced any glass and the charter expired in 1845. DeCew lived off of his milling, farming and lime kiln operations, and died in Decewsville, Ontario (a settlement named in his honour) on March 25, 1855.
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