His mother died shortly after he was born and was adopted and raised by his grand-uncle, Major William Hord, a distinguished Kentucky gentleman.
He was educated in Louisville, and became interested in a military career after meeting a visiting Polish officer, and eventually graduated from Bacon College.
Worthington had intended to enlist in the regular U.S. Army in Washington City, however he was rejected due to all vacancies being filled and accepted the Governor's offer.
Arriving at Jefferson City, they stayed until September 1 and marched to Columbia, Boonville, Glasgow, Springfield and Syracuse.
After three days at Cairo, he and his men crossed the Mississippi and marched to Benton, Missouri and from there accompanied General Pope to New Madrid.
He had apparently forgotten he was still within Union lines and mistook Worthington for an enemy soldier and fired without calling out to the approaching figure.
Judge Francis Springer commented that all "mourned the loss, and cherished the memory of the noble-hearted, brave and heroic Worthington".
Together, they were the parents of three children, including Lucy Madison Worthington (1851–1945), who married Henry Clews, a British born financier and author.
Through his daughter Lucy, he was a posthumous grandfather of Elsie Worthington Clews (1875–1941),[2] an anthropologist who married U.S. Representative Herbert Parsons, a son of John Edward Parsons;[3] and Henry Clews Jr. (1876–1937), an artist who married divorced New York socialite Louise Hollingsworth (née Morris) Gebhard in 1901.