Recovering Mail Folders

[Senor Cuete]

One of my ISPs changed their mail server so that when I log on via an ISP different than theirs I have to send mail via their SMTP server using a different port. While attempting to trouble shoot this with a support person I foolishly tried what she told me to do - I deleted the messed up account and started a new one. Eventually this allowed me to fix the problem but it deleted all of the mail in Mail's folders.

This machine is connected to an external drive that is used by Time Machine to automatically backup everything. I'm wondering if I can get the mail back using Time Machine. Perhaps someone can tell me where Mail saves these. I looked in various libraries but I don't see where it would be.

 

[Senor Cuete]

Invisible Library

Looking with Spotlight for items that could be the mail, I see some things in /Users/myname/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/ That look like they could be what I want. If there's some way to access the hidden library folder in the myname folder in the finder and Time Machine, I'd like to know what it is.

Maybe a terminal command to make it appear?

 

[Senor Cuete]

Victory Achieved

Exit mail. Mail stores its data in the user's Library folder in the user's folder. The Library folder is hidden. To open it you have to hit the username folder. It will be highlighted. Hold the option key down, then pull down the Go... Menu and release it on the Library folder. The hidden Library folder will appear. In the Library folder is a mail folder. Highlight the Mail folder. Open Time Machine and select a time before the deletion of the mail. Tell Time machine to replace the folder with the older one. When you start mail again it will know that something is not synched and it will prompt you to rebuild its data. Hit OK. Mail will rebuild its folders. When it's done everything will be back. Once again Time Machine saves the day!