Sam was once a respected figure in the community. He was the father of Joey Bartlett, a friend of Alex Shepherd's brother Joshua. He loved his son dearly, and gave Joey everything he wanted in order to ensure his happiness. During the Shepherd's Glen 150th Anniversary Celebration, Bartlett was the dunkee of the dunk tank. After burying his son alive, using a big fertilizer bag to avoid suspicion, Sam apparently made a habit of digging graves and drinking to cope with the guilt.