Rev. Robert Laing was born on January 15, 1841, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

He was a Presbyterian clergyman and educator. He received his elementary education in his native land. In 1847, his family settled at Chambly and Buckingham, Quebec. He graduated from McGill College, Montreal (B.A., 1868; M.A., 1872) and studied theology at Morin College, Quebec, and Edinburgh University, Scotland. He received his licence to preach in 1872 and became assistant minister of the St. Paul's Church, Montreal. In 1878, he was appointed minister of St. Matthew's Church, Halifax, where he remained pastor until 1891. In 1887, he founded the Ladies' College and Conservatory of Music in Halifax and became its principal in 1891. Its success was due mainly to his wise foresight, sound judgment, deep scholarship, and thorough knowledge of the subjects taught, together with his wide administrative ability.

In 1878, he married Katherine Dobie Croil (1854–). He died on April 19, 1919, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.