Deadose

The Deadose were an Atakapan-speaking people closely related to the Bidai of southeastern Texas. In the early eighteenth century they lived between the Angelina and Neches rivers and the upper reaches of Galveston Bay. Their communities later moved west into the country between the Brazos and Trinity rivers.

Between 1749 and 1751 Deadose people were represented at San Ildefonso mission on the San Gabriel River alongside Bidai, Akokisa and Patiri. Some also entered San Antonio de Valero. In the second half of the century they were associated at times with neighbouring Tonkawan groups. Measles and smallpox took a heavy toll, and surviving Deadose people probably joined other communities, including the Bidai. Mission records preserve a number of variant spellings of their name.