This research makes a methodological contribution to business history discussions in areas where a lack of archives leads to a lack of understanding. We investigate the business history of the trade family Ge, a significant component of a nationally famous trade group Dongting Shangbang (洞庭商帮) from the Ming dynasty (1368) in China. Through methodological bricolage, we collected and interpreted data using the Ge family’s surviving family genealogies (3rd edition, Year 1673; and 4th edition, Year 1924), oral history, field trips, and documentation. This research discusses the methodological implications of researching the less-studied contexts through family records and bricolage. We exemplify and contribute to the discussion of the imperatives of expanding business history research methodologically, as well as reveal key insights into Chinese family business history.