Robert's parents died when he was young and he and his siblings were split up and taken care of by various family members. He eventually went to, and graduated from, the University of Toronto, which started him on the road to Korea.
The Hardie family, consisting of Robert Alexander Hardie, his wife Margret (Kelley) Hardie and and daughter Eva (b. 1889) moved to Korea. Annie (Bessie) was born upon their arrival in Korea. A third child, Sarah Grace, was born while the family was back in Ontario in 1896. The Hardies' returned to Korea and had four more children: Marie, Margaret, Gertrude and Robert. Both Marie (Aug 9-10, 1893) and Margaret (1903-1909) are buried in Seoul Korea, in the Foreigner’s Cemetery. The Hardies stayed in Korea until 1935. Robert was hit by a falling trunk during his passage home and died upon his return to Canada. They arrived in Victoria, BC on May 14, 1935 from Kobe aboard SS President Jackson.