Off the top of my head, I don't recall the phrase coming into prominent usage until the modern era, maybe turn of the century 1900, Progressive Era at the earliest.... can't think of any presidential inaugural or farewell addresses that used the phrase "transition of power" or "transfer of power".

If you use a search in Google books, there's not much from 1700-1900

https://tinyurl.com/yhxnn8bs https://tinyurl.com/yckphyrz

I hate the phrases. The focus and purpose of government shouldn't be "power" but responsibility and public/civil service.