Barthels was born in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia, one of six or so siblings born to Hermann Friedrich Bartels and Sally Innes Bartels. His father was born in Germany.

Bartels was primarily interested in United States postal stationery and became an expert on the subject. He published the result of his studies in J.M. Bartels and Co.'s Catalogue and Reference List of the Stamped Envelopes, Wrappers and Letter Sheets in 1897, and several editions of Envelopes of the United States, from 1910-38.

In 1943, he published a two volume set on stamped envelopes and wrappers.^[1] He published philatelic literature on other philatelic subjects, such as, The Postage Stamps of the Philippines (co-authored with F.A. Foster and F.L. Palmer, in 1904), Bartel's Checklist of Canal Zone Stamps, in 1906 and 1908, and United States Virgin Islands (co-authored with Bertram William Henry Poole) in 1917.

Bartels conducted 337 philatelic auctions. Among his most important sales were portions of the significant portions of the Clarence Eagle and Arthur Hind prize-winning collections.^{[citation needed]}

Bartels was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1946.^{[citation needed]}

• Prescott Holden Thorp continued Bartels work with his publishing of "Thorp-Bartels" catalog editions.^[2]

• Philately
• Philatelic literature
• J. Murray Bartels American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame biography