In the early part of the year 1860, four family heads of barrio Magaspac, Gerona, Tarlac namely: Don Juan Sagun, Don Pedro Sapon, Don Victoriano Avillanosa and Don Agustin Germinal packed up their belongings and hurriedly left their homes together with their families. They have incurred the hatred of the Spanish curate of Gerona, Fr. Modesto Perez, who was feared for his irritable nature and fierce vindictiveness. They decided to evacuate Magaspac to escape from the ire of the curate.
Travelling northward for days through primeval forests, the refugees went past the old town of Paniqui. Then they took a northwesterly course and ultimately reached Sitio Caarosipan, nestling amidst the vast wastelands and within sight of scenic Morong Creek. Here the sturdy pioneers decided to stay. They noted with great admiration and interest the verdant environment dotted here and there by a big and stately arosip trees, the luscious fruit of which fascinated birds which fed with gusto as they chirped and fluttered all day.
Not long after wards, the rainy season set in. After dreary days of intermittent rainfall, Sitio Caarosipan was inundated to the utter disappointment of the prospective residents. Undaunted by Mother Nature’s challenge, they moved out for good and repaired to higher ground, this time hitting Sitio Payacan (now Barrio Capaoayan) four kilometers east of Caarosipan. Here they built better homes and made wider clearing for their work animals and domestic pets. Since then, they called Caarosipan, Barriodaan, a contraction of the Ilocano phrase “barrio nga daan”.
Convinced of the fertility and favorable elevation of the surrounding terrain, the four family heads lost no time in enticing other probable settlers from Gerona and Paniqui to try their luck with them. Not long afterwards, uninvited immigrants from Pangasinan and the Ilocos provinces arrived in Payacan. Many of these immigrants came from Paoay, Ilocos Norte hence, the present name of Barrio Capaoayan. Within a period of two years, the population of the settlement rose to sixty-four families. The municipal authorities of Paniqui, of which Payacan was then a part, thought of converting the sitio into a barrio. When this plan was finally realized, they selected Don Antonio Longa as teniente del barrio. He held the position up to 1862.
The settlers were quite inspired by their accompishments as well as by the bountiful blessings showered upon them by the Almighty. In ardent thanksgiving, they changed the name of their newly created barrio from Payacan to San Ramon in honor of the venerated patron St. Raymund Nonnato, to whom they rendered special devotion aside from equally honoring Fr. Ramon Villanova, Spanish Curate of Paniqui at the time.
As San Ramon showed signs of advancement and progress, a Christian Chinese who was a merchant by calling, came to try his luck in the place. Through sheer industry and thrift, he soon emerged as the most prosperous and pivotal entity in the barrio. His influence among the residents gained headway with his material prosperity. He stirred the interest and imagination of civic-minded citiizens to work with him for the conversion of San Ramon into an independent Municipality. Misfortune befell the entire scheme when the amiable Chinese died without realizing his pet dream. Nevertheless, the spirit of the movement did not perish with him. He ha an adopted son with the Christian name of Vicente Tintiangco who as also a full-blooded Chinese. As was the ante-mortem request of his dead benefactor, Don Vicente pursued with equal vigor and determination the succeeding phase of the undertaking.
Through his persistent machination, he succeeded in having San Ramon into a full-fledged municipality by virtue of a proclamation by the Spanish Military General of Tarlac province, Don Julian Ocon. This very historic event took place on July 1, 1875. The infant municipality was named MONCADA in honor of a certain influential nobility in Spain. The first town executive of Moncada was Don Sinforoso Marquez who rendered service from 1875-1877. As such, his title was Governadorcillo y Juez Local Ex-Officio.
In recognition of his meritorious service and sacrifices for the commoner, Don Vicente Tintiangco was posthumously awarded the diploma of honor and a medal of merit by the GOVERNADOR Y CAPITAN GENERAL DE FILIPINAS, Don Joaquin Jovellar Y Soler in an elaborate ceremony on July 14, 1884. Don Fruto Tintiangco, one of the three sons of the Chinese founder of Moncada, stood to accept the much-deserved awards.