I’m beginning to get it — “it” being how Puritanism, with its disdain for freedom of speech, religious tolerance, equality, et cetera, led to the Declaration of Independence — but my essential question as to how we got from Cotton Mather to Thomas Paine remains.

Craig H. Handler, Karen A. Hoeg, and Bernadette E. Tuthill, associates at the law firm Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin, and Quartararo, have been promoted to partner, a spokesman for the firm announced this week.

The prices listed here have been calculated from the county transfer tax. Unless otherwise noted, the parcels contain structures.