Born the oldest living son of Fritz and Maria nee Patau Bartels in rural Saline county south of Tobias, Nebraska. Married to Dorathea "Dora" Jordening 1 Mar 1906 at Zion Lutheran Church south of Tobias, Nebraska.

Father to 12 children: Reinhold (1907-1976), Lula (1908-1909), Leona (1910-1992), Lorine (1912-2002), Evelyn (1914-2005), Vera (1916-2011), Ada (b. 1918), Berniece (1920-1998), Clarence (1922-2006), Eldo (b. 1924), Mildreth (b. 1926), and Derald (1928-2007).

Moved to Wood County, Oklahoma around 1915 to farm, but planned to return to Daykin, Nebraska.

His obituary:
Daykin Herald
Daykin, Jefferson county, Nebraska
21 Nov 1941
Page 6
WILLIAM BARTELS
(Tobias Times)
Will Bartels of Covington, Okla., died Thursday, Nov. 6 1941, in a hospital at Halstead, Kas., following an illness of about four weeks, a blood clot causing his death. He had attained the age of 58 years.
William Bartels was born near Tobias, June 20, 1883, the son of Fred and Mary Bartels. He made his home in the Tobia,s vicinity for many years. On March 1, 1906, he was united in marriage to Miss Dora Jordening at Tobias.
To this union twelve children were born, of which one died in infancy.
Mr. Bartels and family moved from Tobias to Covington, Okla., in 1915 where he has since made his home.
The past summer Mr. Bartels made a visit in Jefferson county, at which time he purchased a farm 5 1/2 miles east of Daykin, where he had made plans to move next year. The farm joins the church cemetery in which Mr. Bartels was buried.
Surviving are his widow Dora Bartels, eleven children, Mrs. Leona Helling, Misses Ada, Berniece, Vera and Mildred Bartels, Reinhold, Clarence, Eldo and Daryl Bartels all of Covington, Okla., Mrs. Lorene Swortout, of Los Angeles, Mrs, Evelyn Daugherty of Woodriver, Ill., four brothers Fred, of near Western, Otto of Portland, Oregon, Henry of Cheyenne, Wyo., John of Council Bluffs, Iowa, three sisters, Mrs, Koch, Mrs.Chris Ericksen, both of Grand Island, Mrs. Robert Shivers of Thermopolie, Wyo., and two grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Monday at the St John's Lutheran church at Covington, Okla., and on Wednesday afternoon at the Immanuel Lutheran church east of Daykin. Rev. Fellbaum of the Lutheran church at Covington, Okla., officiated at the services in both churches.
Interment was made In the church cemetery east of Daykin. Pallbearers at the services Wednesday were nephews Ernest and Herman Meyer, Harold Jordening of near Tobias, Lorenz Bartels, Carl Schoenbeck of near Western, Edgar Holtmeier of Ellis.
Among those attending the funeral services held near Daykin were the entire family of the deceased, except a daughter in Los Angeles who was unable to attend, and the sisters and brothers of Mr. Bartels, many friends and relatives of the Tobias vicinity.