Unable to access an mail accounts or mail options through settings (3GS). Maddening!

Hi all.

I'm almost ready to toss this iPhone out the window but thought I should bring my problems to the community first. Who knows....perhaps someone else has had this issue.

So after the last iOS push to 6.0.1 (10A523) I have been unable to access any of my email accounts. (I have a gmail acct, yahoo acct, & a couple of domain pop accounts....nothing fancy or complicated). I'm in the network services space, so I can get around fairly well w/ server/desktop/laptop/mobile devices so if you respond feel free to be as technical like.

So here are the basic facts surrounding the problem that started with the latest iOS push:

• Accessing mail app = device pauses/hangs for @ 3 seconds and drops me back to the main iPhone screen.
• Accessing "Settings" = device immediately drops me back to the main iPhone screen.
• Settings + General + Reset + Erase All Content and Settings = standard reset/reboot process, standard device setup, + restore from back-up = device restores to previous device condition including mail app showing 10 messages (as it has shown since this became an issue), and I am back at square 1 and can not access mail, can not access mail through settings etc.

Thoughts?