These sturdy, dark complexioned, G-stringed, soldier-like people depended on hunting, fishing and a little agriculture and poultry.

The land where Cabatuan now nestles was once teeming with vegetation, wildlife and fish, nurtured by the Magat River.

Its history started when one of the indigenous people of the mountain provinces settled down in the Cagayan Valley where the Apayaos, Dumagats, Gaddangs, Ibanags, Ifugaos, Igorots, Itawes, Palananons and the Yogads were living.

The Kalinga villages were strategically located along the banks of the Magat River in south-western Isabela near the boundary of Ifugao province, surrounding the locality now known as Sili, Bolinao, Dalig Kalinga (these places are now barangays of Aurora town) and Subasta (now a sitio of Barangay Saranay in Cabatuan).

The early Cabatuanenses were generally known to be medium in height, with dark complexion and lissome with high nose bridges.

The warring groups eventually became friends through a peace pact led by their respective leaders and the place became known as Cabatuan.

Some of the Pangasinan pioneers were: Nicolas T. Almirol (originally surnamed Lagasca), Benito Monte, Hermogenes B. Soriben and Zacarias P. Munoz.

Some of the Tagalog migrants were: Carlino O. Munsayac (Nueva Ecija), Atanasio H. Dayrit (San Fernando, Pampanga), Atty.

Others who assumed the post were: Florencio Abad, Leocadio Acio, Pedro Acob, Felipe Aczon, Tomas Camungao, T. Damunglo, Jose Castillo, Cirilo Guerrero, Platon Guillermo, Ignacio Juan, Antonio S. Medina, Felipe Pascual, Feliciano A. Ramos, Roman Rivera, Inigo Sales, Francisco Salvador, Tirso Santos, B. Sumawang and Juan Ventura.

Bernardo C. Dacuycuy, the acknowledged founder of Cabatuan, was appointed by Governor-General Leonard Wood as President of the Confederate Districts of Antatet (now Luna), Dalig, Bolinao and Sili.

Thus, the administrations of Cauayan Mayors Guillermo Blas (1938) and Zoilo Cuntapay (1938-1940), three of their Municipal Councilors hailed from Cabatuan.

Acio won and assumed office in 1941 but his term was cut short when the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the town.

Some Guerillas from Cabatuan were: Federico P. Acio, Damaso A. Acosta, Mariano P. Alejo, Antonio V. Altoveros, Nestor R. Altoveros, Alvaro C. Antolin, Rufino D. Apostol, Benito G. Bauzon, Osmundo S. Bungay, Pacifico S. Cabantac, Felix G. Cadelina, Norberto Cadiz, Demetrio dela Cruz, Leonides R. Dacuycuy, Gavino K. Enerlan, Fernando A. Ferrer, Apolonio R. Galicano, Patrocinio Gamiao, Venancio Galingana, Santos D. Gonatise, Iluminado Grande, Lino P. Gumaru, Jose G. Hermogela, Nicolas Labayog, Juan R. Labuguen, Celestino G. Lomboy, Cenon S. Manibog, Venancio G. Manibog, Juan G. Manuel, Isaac I. Martinez, Cipriano D. Mercado, Nicolas Meria, Miguel O. Monte, Sixta C. Juan, Dionisio B. Juan, Andres E. Nomina, Domingo Pedro, Nemesio N. Ramil, Antonio B. Rodriguez, Cayetano K. Rosario, Teodulfo D. Rumbaoa, Maura A.

The tabacalera (almasin), now owned by Bernardo Bulosan Garcia Sr, in District (now Barangay San Andres) became the chief garrison (Center of Command) of the Japanese.

The Japanese soldiers hired Filipinos to serve as "magic eyes" (Makapili) to pinpoint supporters and members of the movement.

There was also an incident where the Japanese kidnapped a woman by the name of Genoveva A. Agsalda (residing in what is now Barangay San Andres) while reaping tobacco in her field (in Sili) and was not seen again.

When the American warplanes arrived, a house in District Dos (now San Andres) where at least two families were residing was mistakenly identified as a Japanese camp.

Its territorial boundaries are more specifically delineated under Executive Order 293 issued by President Elpidio Quirino on November 5, 1949.

They were: Cabatuan (as the seat of government), Buenavista, Caggong, Canan, Culing, Diamantina, Luzon, Macalaoat, Magdalena, Namnama, Tandul Viejo and Villa Visaya.

Also in the same year, Barrio T. Abad was again renamed to San Andres to honor Cabatuan's patron, Saint Andrew the Apostle.

As a municipality in the Province of Isabela, government officials in the provincial level are voted by the electorates of the town.