It became common by the 1870s to see decades from early in the 1800s abbreviated in this way. For instance, here is an 1886 book referring to the 1820s as "the twenties", here is an 1876 newspaper article referring to the 1830s as "the thirties", here is an 1875 newspaper article referring to the 1840s and 50s as "the forties" and "the fifties", and here is an 1879 newspaper article also referring to the 1850s as "the fifties". Other examples include books referring to the '50s, the '60s, the '70s, and the '80s in this way, which were all published in the 1880s and 90s.

The Oxford English Dictionary cites an 1853 article in the Living Age magazine as perhaps the earliest example, which talks about decades in this abbreviated terminology, though in that case, it's in somewhat abstract terms.

This short-hand for decades might actually be older, but it just didn't appear in print, or, at least, it hasn't been found yet. At least as early as the late 1700s and early 1800s, people were abbreviating specific years, if not decades, in these terms. For example, early debates in U.S. Congress would sometimes refer back to "the Spirit of '76", and during the Nullification Crisis, they'd refer back to the "Principles of '98".

In 1775, George Washington received a letter from an Irish soldier who gave a brief resume: he'd attained the rank of Ensign in '59, of Lieutenant in '65, and "sold out" (retired?) in '71.

In 1781, John Adams received a letter referring to events of the French and Indian War as the "declaration in 56" that started it and "the peace in 63" that ended it.

In 1783, George Washington received a letter referring to "the campaign of 81". In 1791, Alexander Hamilton wrote a letter referring to the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War as "the peace of 83". In 1793, Thomas Jefferson received a letter that referred to "the winter of 89-90". And in 1798, John Adams received a letter referring to "October of 88".

In 1809, John Adams wrote of himself being "born in 35" and the letter recipient being "born in '55".

These are just some examples - it was a quite common abbreviation in the time of the Founding Fathers.

A little bit later on, the Gold Rush of '49 led to the '49ers, which is what the San Francisco 49ers football team is named after. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this term ("forty-niner") had appeared in print no later than 1853.

But back in the 1600s, these kinds of abbreviations--either years or decades--did not yet seem to be common. It may have occurred, but if so, there doesn't seem to be any written instance of it yet found.

/u/Elphinstone1842 has answered this question in this sub before, and cites several more examples from the 1890s and early 1900s, by which time the terminology was appearing in print frequently. As a few more examples, you'll find the 1820s, the 1830s, the 1840s, and the 1850s referred to in this way in books and articles published in the first two decades of the 1900s.