E. Ross Bartley was born on April 3, 1892 in Brookston, Indiana. He attended Indiana University from 1912-1915 majoring in political science and journalism. He was a member of Sigma Delta Chi, the journalism fraternity on campus, and of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He also served as senior class president.

His first job with a newspaper was as city editor of the Bloomington Journal from 1914-1915. Following this he worked for the United Press in Indianapolis and New York, and then with the Ohio State Journal. In 1916, he began work with the Associated Press where he worked for two years in Pittsburgh and then for eight years in Washington, D.C. as an editor and correspondent to the U.S. Senate and the White House.

In 1925, Bartley was assigned to Gen. Charles G. Dawes, who was then running as the Republican candidate for the Vice Presidency. After winning the election, Dawes appointed Bartley as his secretary. At the end of the term Dawes sent Bartley on a mission to the Dominican Republic to establish a budget system for their government. Afterwards, Dawes helped get Bartley a job in Chicago at the brokerage firm of Harris, Upham & Co. where Bartley worked as the assistant manager from 1929-1931. Continuing his career in Chicago, Bartley then worked as the director of publicity at A Century of Progress International Exposition until 1934 when he became director of publicity of the Florida Citrus Institute, where he worked for two years.

In 1936 Bartley once again became involved in politics. He served as the executive secretary of the Illinois Republican Citizens Organization before becoming presidential candidate Alf M. Landon's personal press relations representative. After the election, which Landon lost to Roosevelt, Bartley worked for two years at the firm of Bartley & Barclay before returning to Indiana University.

From 1938 until his retirement in 1962 Bartley worked for IU as director of the news bureau, as a lecturer in journalism, and then as the director of University Relations. During this time he also served as president of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, president of the American College Public Relations Association, and president of the Bloomington Rotary Club. He was also involved in the Hoosier chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, the Indiana Men's Faculty club, the Monroe County unit of the Indiana Heart Association, and the Indiana Advisory Health Council.

While at IU, Bartley earned many honors. In 1952, the American College Public Relations Association gave him an "Outstanding Achievement Award," and in 1960 the Indiana professional chapter of Sigma Delta Chi gave him a citation for "unselfish service to the highest ideals of journalism." Sigma Delta Chi later awarded him the first Herman B Wells award for service to the University and the fraternity in 1962. Upon his retirement, Indiana gave him the "Sagamore of the Wabash" and the Indiana Press Club awarded him their first "Grand Buffalo Award." In 1966, he received a recognition medallion from the Indiana Heart Association. In addition to these awards, the Indiana House of representatives approved a resolution in appreciation of his "dedicated service to Indiana University and the Citizens of the State of Indiana."

E. Ross Bartley died on April 4, 1969 after a brief illness in Winter Haven, FL. He left behind his wife, Pearly Myers, whom he had married in 1919, and three children: Edward Ross; Richard Myers; and Janet Elaine.