 He was the son of John H. McAlpine (1783–1865) and Elizabeth (Jarvis) McAlpine (1792–1879).In 1827, he began civil engineering as a pupil of John B. Jervis, with whom he remained until 1836.He was Assistant Engineer of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad from 1830 to 1831, and of the St. Lawrence Improvement Company in 1832.