Beth...hmm...I better think longer about this. There have been a few seismometers that can record quakes since at least 1927: the 1927 M7 Lompoc quake (California) was recorded in the Netherlands and I think from Santa Barbara. There were papers in the 1980s using these recordings to try and relocate that offshore quake (has local tsunami, at Surf).

Even without seismometers, they can estimate subduction magnitudes from historic reports: a M9 will rupture on the order of 500 km of subduction zone (Chile 1960 M9.5 was 1000 km; 2004 Sumatra was 1400 km, but little slip on the northern part, I think Alaska 1964 was 600 km long).

But, there were fewer people and towns in many areas in the early 20th century.

When you say "recorded history", there may be a start date: may be since 1900 or something. Let us know.
Chris