Merrill Blosser (May 28, 1892 – January 9, 1983) was an American cartoonist, the creator of the comic strip Freckles and His Friends, which had a long run (1915–1971).

[3] Growing up in Nappanee, where he was born, Blosser was encouraged by his parents to take drawing lessons, and he signed up for Charles N. Landon's correspondence course.

Six successful cartoonists lived in Nappanee as children, including Fred Neher (Life’s Like That) and Bill Holman (Smokey Stover).

Blosser was 23 when he began in the NEA art department, initially doing cartoons based on news events and then drawing five daily panels.

[7] Although the characters in the strip never joined up with the military during World War II, Blosser's use of the strip to promote the sale of War Bonds brought him a personal citation from Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr.[8] In New York in May, 1965, the National Cartoonists Society held a testimonial dinner honoring Blosser.

The NCS gave him an award "in recognition of the wholesome entertainment he has brought his myriad readers" and for the creation of "the oldest regular comic strip still piloted by its creator.