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The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., September 28, 1928, page 1

FOUNDER OF CENTERVILLE DIES FROM AN ACCIDENT

Another Klickitat pioneer has gone to his reward in the passing of Mr. Al. Brown.
One by one the ranks of the early pioneers are thinning, and soon they will have gone to that other land.
Mr. Brown was born August 8, 1850, and died September 19, 1928, at the age of 78 years, one month, and eleven days.
The cause of his death was the overturning of his automobile. He had driven the machine some 200 miles, and was within two miles of his destination when the accident happened. It was believed that he fell asleep while driving.
He was married to Elizabeth Russell, in 1876. To this union seven children were born, four of whom survive.
The children surviving are:
H.E. Brown of Wapato; Roy Brown of Klickitat; Mrs. Mabel Cheers of Manito, Wash.; and Mrs. Alta Smith of Wapato.
Twenty-one grand children also survive.
Mr. Brown came to Klickitat county in the spring of 1877, taking an 80 acre homestead, where the town of Centerville is now situated; and in 1883 he started the first store and postoffice in the town.
In 1884 he moved over to Harney, in western Oregon, but a few years later came back to Klickitat, where he farmed for many years in the Horseshoe Bend section. In late years he had made his home with his children.
The many friends of the family join with them in their hour of sadness, and extend their sympathy for the loss of their father.
Funeral services were held at the grave in the Centerville cemetery, Sunday afternoon, September 23, 1928, by the Rev. S.C. Eshelman.

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(Old county records show that the present town site of Centerville was taken by Albert J. Brown. Two years later one Pomeroy built a blacksmith shop there, and Mr. Brown then secured a post office, and named the town Centerville.
During the fall two general merchandise stores went in and Levi Clanton started a blacksmith shop.
In 1884, Albert J. Brown sold his location to J.B. Golden. In 1878 a Methodist church was erected in the town, and in 1884 the Catholics built a chapel.
The following ten years there was not much change in the town, after which there were many improvements.)