Inocentie (Leivas) Contreras was born on December 28, 1892, in Signal, Mohave County, Arizona Territory, to Henry Koshland and Tula Leivas. Her father died March 7, 1896. She attended school and spent her childhood in Signal. She married Edward P. Contreras on September 16, 1910, at Signal. They lived on the Bozarth cattle ranch in Wild Horse Basin in Yavapai County.

In 1915, they established a homesteaded on Tonto Flat, thirteen miles west of Prescott off Iron Springs Road, where they operated the Contreras Ranch for forty-two years. They had nine children: Irene Anna Hilbers (July 9, 1911), Manuel I. "Mickey" (July 25, 1912), Edward Michael (April 9, 1914), Raymond Ludio (January 7, 1916), Catherine M. Garner (June 19, 1919), Ann Dorothy McNeill (February 6, 1921), Marcella Mary Nevitt (October 6, 1925), Adele F. (March 6, 1930-May 17, 1931) and Richard T. (May 15, 1934).

Edward died on November 12, 1933, in Prescott and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery.  Several years earlier, a horse had fallen on him and injured his back.  This long-term injury may have been a partial cause of his death.  Inocentie raised their eight children and ran the ranch. She rode the range and shot chicken hawks with a 30-30 to protect her chicks.  She was also a seamstress.

Inocentie's uncle, Juan Leivas, won first place for single steer roping in the first (1888) rodeo in Prescott. All four sons and the husbands of two of her daughters participated in rodeo, and her descendants are still active in Prescott Frontier Days.

Inocentie retired from ranching in 1959 and resided at 423 Campbell Street in Prescott.  She was a member of the Yavapai Cowbelles and Catholic Daughters.  She died December 18, 1961, and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery.

Donor: Yavapai Cowbelles
Photo Located: RGC MS-39, Box C, F-Contreras, Inocentie
Updated: 5/7/2015, D. Sue Kissel

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