William Worthington was the son of Charles Worthington and Rachel Cartwright , he was born 24 June 1842 in Lawrence Co, Ohio. He first married Irene Blackburn and had 7 children. After Irene passed away he married Alice Cutright, daughter of John Cutright and Mary Ann Reeves. William and Alice had 11 children.

William and his family and many other individuals left Lawrence County, Oh and went to Oswego OR. See article below:

From the Ironton Review (Ironton, Ohio), March 15, 1883.

FIFTY EMIGRANTS FOR OREGON
Last December, Mr. T. R. Worthington [T. R. stands for Theodore R.] came to this county to drum up laborers for the Oswego Iron Works, Oregon. Mr. Worthington is himself a collier, and in that capacity has been employed at the Oswego furnace for seven years past. The lack of labor has been his chief obstacle, so he concluded to come east for a supply. He is a son of Charles Worthington, and was raised in this region.
He mustered up about forty active men whose names we give below. They left on the Fleetwood, last Thursday evening, bound for Oregon under Mr. Worthington's conduct. About twenty got on at Ironton, the same number at Hanging Rock, some at Union Landing and two at Portsmouth. among the number, we noticed some of the farmer boys, from the bottom below the rock. The married men were accompanied by their wives and children. At the Rock, the departure was signalized by blasts of artillery. A great crowd gathered which cheered lustily, and were decidedly noise with their affectionate farewells.
The emigrants went to Cincinnati, then by the O. & M. to St. Louis, then to Texarkada and by the South Pacific via El Paso to San Francisco; then by ocean to Portland, from which place Oswego is eight miles distant. It will take two weeks to make the trip through tickets, $70. At El Paso, the emigrants take an emigrant train. A railroad agent goes through with them from Cincinnati to San Francisco, and sees them safe aboard a steamer at the latter place.
The following is a full list of the persons who were in the party:
James H. Fits, David Duncan, wife and three children, Andy Hodge, W. H. Swariz, Geo Smith, Lewis Sutton, O. E. Backkus, Wigon Nids, wife and three children, John Carter, A. Worthington, Mrs. Dryer and four children, Fred Tulga, Dan'l Lykins and wife, P. Bisco, John Lambert, Mrs. Thacker, John Fox, Martin Loder, John Loder, Wm. Worthington, wife and five children, Thomas Worthington, John Shope, Frank Ross, Chas. Ross, Mary Ross, Vick Ross, Sam Ross, Wm. Rodgers, Louisa Hoffman, Isaac Austin, wife and child, Ed Sesher, J. P. Smith, wife and seven children, P. Nagel, Geo. Wallace, wife and child, James Kiser, wife and child, John Davisson and Sherman Ross.
Last Monday, the following persons also started for Oswego: John Balles, and wife, Jas Hasey and wife and Henry Sowers.